winter months, wherejt frequented the second-growth woods so prevalent in that district. On the
Pacific side of Guatemala we did not mee.t with it until the winter of 1873-74. It was then found
to he not uncommon on the slopes of the mountains between Capetillo and San Diego, a heavily-
wooded tract of country with patches of second-growth woods.” In the Salvin-Godman Collection
are specimens collected at Tollman in Guatemala, at 5000 feet, on the,24th of December, by Mr. W.
B. Bichardson, and there is also a skin obtained by the same collector at Leon in Nicaragua on
the 15th of December, 1892.
Further south the species extends to Colombia, a Bogotá skin being in the Seebohm Collection,
and I also referto T. ustulatus the specimen procured by Mr. F. A. Simons at Minea, near .'Santa
Alarta, at SODO feet, m January; it is now in the Salvin-Godman Collection (Salvin and Godman,
Ibis, 1880, p. 115, s. n. T. mamsoni). Whitely met with it on Koraima in British Guiana on the
6 th of December, 1881 (Salvin, Ibis, 1885, p. 197).
In his account of the birds collected during the survey of the 40th Parallel, Mr. Ridgway
(p. 395) gives the following interesting note on the habits of the species “ The Russet-backed or
regon Thrush was first met with in the pine-region of the Sierra. Nevada, on the western slope of
that range at an altitude of about 4000 or 5000 feet above the Sacramento Valley. It inhabited
there the deep ravines, where the undergrowth was extremely dense and overtopped by a thick
growth of gigantic Conifera, extending in a vast unbroken forest for hundreds of miles over the
mountains to the north and south. Eastward of that range it was met with’ but once, a single
individual having been obtained on the second of June, in the Truckee Valley, not far from the
eastern base of the Sierra Nevada, the individual in question being no doubt a last lingering one-
since no others were observed after that date, all having departed for the mountains to the westward’
The species is known to migrate in winter southward along the Pacific slope as far as Costa Rica,
hut its summer home is chiefly among the forest-clad mountains and wooded valleys from California
to British Columbia and Sitka.
“ The song of this Thrush much resembles that of T. swainsoni, but is different in many
important respects, conspicuous amongst which, is its finer quality. Its modulation is quite correctly
expressed by Mr. Nuttall, who describes it as resembling the syllables ‘ wit-wit, t'villia, Umilia'-, hut
to convey to the reader even the slightest idea of its tone and effect would be the vainest endeavour.
heard the encl>anting songs of these birds under circumstances calculated to make a lasting
impression. It was in the midst of the dense and lofty forests of the Sierra Nevada, about halfway
up the western slope, that we rested for the sabbath from our journey across the mountains.
Hemmed m and overshadowed by giant forest-trees, we halted, with rippling and sparkling brooks
from the snow-fields far above dashing through the ferns and varied herbage, the roadside bedecked
with the gay and lovely flowers so characteristic of Californian glades, while below yawned the
depths of a dark ravine, through which dashed and roared a mountain torrent. In the tall pines
overhead skulked the noisy Jays and Nutcrackers (Oyanura. frontalis and Picicorms colvmbianus),
mingling their discordant notes with the twittering of the Woodpeckers, who sported about thè
branches of the dead trees. But certain outbursts of rarest melody, heard at intervals from the
darkest recesses of the deep ravine, drew the attention of every one in camp; notes of exceeding
simplicity, yet full of tenderest expression and thrilling effect, far finer than the softest and sweetest
notes of the flute. These harmonious carols would be taken up first by one, then by another
musician, then answered from a distant portion of the dell. It was long before the author of these
wild melodies could be seen, but patient search revealed a little brown bird, afterward determined to
be this species, shyly flitting into the gloomy maze of foliage at our approach.”
On its arrival in its summer-quarters the Russet-backed Thrush is described by all observers as
being very undemonstrative and retiring in its habits. Mr. Anthony, writing of the species in Oregon,
says ;—« During the first week after its arrival it is very shy and silent, keeping in the darkest and
deepest thickets, uttering a single chuck of alarm when disturbed. As their numbers increase, a few
are heard singing at dusk and in the early morning. By the time they have all arrived, the woods
fairly ring with their clear metallic song. They nest in dark secluded thickets.” Dr. Merrill writes
that at Fort Klamath in Oregon the species “ arrived about the 20th of May, a few nesting near the
Fort and in suitable situations in the mountains. Its loud sweet song was heard at sunrise and
sunset, but the birds were shy and difficult to shoot. A nest found on the 8th of June, containing
four fresh eggs, was in a dense willow-thicket, and placed on a horizontal branch about two feet
from the ground.”
The Russet-backed Thrush, as this species is called by American ornithologists, is not remarkable
for a russet back, and an attempt to distinguish specimens by this character alone would lead to
failure, for many birds killed in autumn are quite olive on the upper surface, though they retain a
slight tint of russet-brown on the tail. In T. swainsoni the upper surface is often dusky olive-brown
and the tail partakes of the same colour as the back, the ruddy tint is not perceptible, and the wings
are also externally darker and do not show so much rufous. It is often extremely difficult to separate
these dark Turdus swainsoni from T. alicice, and I have found Mr. Ridgway’s character of the pale
orbital ring of great assistance in separating the specimens. Needless to say, I have received
great assistance from the determination of the specimens in the Henshaw Collection which were
named by Mr. Ridgway and Dr. Henshaw before the collection was despatched to Europe. With
the large series at my disposal I can only say that a perfect intergradation between T. ustulatus
and T. swainsoni appears to exist, and I only keep them separate because Mr. Seebohm has figured
them as distinct.
Some specimens are scarcely distinguishable from T. alicice, and are equally dark above and
have dark grey flanks; one specimen from Corpus Cbristi, Texas, closely resembles a skin of
T. alicice from Concord, Mass. (Henshaw Coll.), but has the distinct eyelid of T. swainsoni as well as
the larger pale mirror on the quill-linings, while the sides of the face are buff, not grey. In fact one
of the chief characteristics of this species seems to be the well-marked light patch at the base of
the inner aspect of the quills, which is almost Geocichline in character. Mr. Ridgway, in his
‘ Manual,’ separates T. ustulatus and T. swainsoni on account of the very distinct ring of feathers
round the eye, a very good character when the skins are well-prepared, but one which fails when
the taxidermist has been careless, or when a shot has damaged the plumage of the head.
Mr. Ridgway (Expl. 40th Parallel, Orn. p. 397) gives the soft parts as follows:—“ Bill black,
the basal half of the lower mandible pale brownish-lilac; iris sepia-brown; tarsi pale lilac-brown, the
toes darker.”
The specimen figured is a Californian one in the Seebohm Collection. [R. B. S.]