a second specimen pointed more strongly toward it, it was not until I had reached home, and made
actual comparisons, that I could feel satisfied that its true relationship was with that species. These
examples from the Catskills were submitted to Mr. Bidgway, the result being the recognition of a
new bird, belonging to our eastern fauna.
“ But to return to the mountain. It would hardly be justifiable)to make a positive statement
about a difficult song that had been but once identified, but I feel positive that the Thrushes which
were last heard that evening about our camp on the extreme summit of the mountain were the new
orm. Night was rapidly falling, and the valleys were in darkness, when one sang several times near
the camp, and for some time afterwards a single call-note was occasionally heard, and the varying
distance of the sound showed that the birds were still active. Excepting these sounds, the last
bird-notes heard were those of the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.
“ The sharp north-west wind continued late, and the night became clear and cold. Shortly
after midmght the bright moon showed the temperature, by a thermometer which I had hung beside
the camp, to be 35°, and at sunrise it stood at 32°. Before daylight I was standing on a boulder of
conglomerate on the dim mountain's brow listening for the awakening of the birds. The first songs
heard were those of the Hermit-Thrush, Snow-bird, and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, which began
almost simultaneously, followed a little later by those of the Olive-backed Thrush and the Mourning
Warbler, but T. alicice Mchielli was not heard or at least not near enough to be distinguished among
the other species.
“ The increasing light upon the mountain seemed to attract the birds from below, whither,
perhaps, they had retired for the night, and soon many different notes were to be heard about the
camp; not, however, in that boisterous chorus with which the day is often announced about our
homes, in which the notes of many individuals of many species are blended in such confused medley
that separate voices are almost indistinguishable, but simply the association of a few vocalists, the
veiy isolation of whose position endowed their voices with an additional interest and
“ After those already mentioned, the Black-poll Warbler (Beniraica, striata) began its unpretending
notes, which almost to me suggest a short dotted line, and this song, with that of the
Black-and-Yellow Warbler, occasionally alternated about us in agreeable contrast. Now and then a
Canada Nuthatch, on its morning tour, tarried to inspect some dead trunk or thinly clothed tree,
upon the projecting apex of which, or that of some companion, a solitary Purple Finch occasionally
alighted, and with a few wild fugitive notes was gone, to other mountain tops or the forests of the
descending slopes/’
The following account of the nesting of Bicknell’s Thrush by the Eev. J. H. fungal., has heen
published in the ‘ Auk ’ (vol. i. pp. 268-270):—
Off the south-west end of Nova Scotia, opposite Yarmputh and Shelburn Counties, is a large
number of islands—one for every day in the year, they say. On leaving the harbour of the city of
Yarmouth, off to the westward and well out at sea, are Green Island and Gameet Eock. Then
come the Tusket Islands, many in number, and of varied size, form and appearance; some being
partly cultivated, some wholly wooded, and the outermost almost as smooth as a lawn; these last are
e t e Bald Tuskets. Farthest out at sea and very nearly on an extended line between the two
counties mentioned are the Mud Islands and the Seal Islands. These are almost entirely covered
with a low growth of evergreens-black spruce and balsam fir. Except the Eohin, the Song-Sparrow,,
and Snow-bird, and a few Bedstarts and Winter Wrens, almost the only small land birds breeding
bore are the Black-poll Warbler and Bicknell’s Thrush—the last two being very abundant.
. " ThlS Thrnsh was whoUy new t° me. My attention was first arrested by its call or alarm note,
which sounded like ‘ cree-e-e-e-eep, or quee-a, or cree-e-e-ee,’ in a rather fine high key. It had some
resemblance to the call of Wilson’s Thrush, but was unmistakably different; and, as Mr. Brewster
has noted (Bull. N. O. Club, vol. viii. p. 12), is very particularly different from the sharp liquid ‘ pip ’
or ‘ peeuk ’ of the typical Olive-back. The song, ‘ tsiderea, tsiderea, tsiderea,’ sometimes ‘ tsiderea, rea,
tsiderea,’ or some other modulation of the same theme, is similar in tone to that of Wilson’s Thrush,
but more slender and wiry, and therefore not nearly so musical and grand. In the solitude of its
evergreen islands, however, this bird is by no means an inferior songster, the sibilant tones of its
voice being finely relieved by certain more prolonged and liquid vibrations. A careful examination
satisfied me that the bird was Bicknell’s Thrush, lately identified in the Catskills and in the White
Mountains, and named in honour of its discoverer. It was so abundant, and not particularly shy for
a Thrush, that I had the most ample opportunity for the study of its habits; and several specimens
were secured and retained. Next to its lesser size, its structural peculiarity is its slender, depressed,
and finely curved bill, compared with which that of the typical Olive-back seems thick and clumsy.
While singing, which occurred throughout the day, but more especially in the evening twilight and
early morning, the bird delighted to perch in the top of the evergreens, often on the very tip, where
its bright, brown figure, with elevated head, was quite conspicuous. On the ground and in taking its
food, its habits were precisely like those of other Thrushes.
“ To find the nest of this species was my great desideratum; and though the bird was so
numerous it was by no means an easy task. Many an hour did I thread my way through almost
impenetrable evergreen thickets before I could secure the much coveted prize. At last my search
was rewarded by nests in considerable numbers, and all as nearly alike in location, structure, and
materials as it is possible for nests to be.
“ Placed a few feet from the ground, and against the trunk of an evergreen tree, it was composed
externally of various kinds of mosses, including a few fine sticks, weed-stems and rootlets, and was
lined with fine grasses well bleached; so that, outside, the nest was as green as a bunch of fresh
moss, and the inside was light brown. The eggs, *87 x -63 of an inch, are light bluish-green,
speckled with brown.
“ About the Mud and Seal Islands dense fogs prevail almost continually throughout the summer.
This excessive moisture, so productive of mosses, causes the moss in the walls of the Thrushes’ nests
to grow; hence the nests of previous years, well protected from the weather by dense evergreens,
become elegant moss-baskets finely ornamented within and without with living cryptogams. I saw
a number such, which looked as if they had grown in situ on the tree.”
In Mr. Bicknell’s paper on the “ Singing of Birds” (Auk, i. p. 130, 1884), the accompanying
notes must refer to the present bird :—
“ It is occasionally in song with us through the first week in June,—that is, I have heard it up
to June 4. I am well satisfied that the songs of the Grey-cheeked and Olive-backed Thrushes are
not alike; in fact that they are as distinct from one another as from the songs of the other small
Thrushes.
“ During recent seasons particular attention was paid to the songs of these birds, and a clear
difference between the songs of individuals of each proved to be constant, so far as limited observation
went. As a result of my experience with these birds, I have little hesitation in characterizing the
song of the Grey-cheeked Thrush as weaker than that of the Olive-backed, entirely dissimilar in
tone, and with a somewhat different disposition of notes. Instead of musically outbursting, it is
singularly subdued, and has a far-away and rather ventriloquial sound. It seems more the
expression of some distinct emotion revived in memory than of a suddenly felt present emotion
which the song of the Olive-backed Thrush suggests.” [R. B. S.]
2 b 2