the canon streams, particularly in the elevated ‘ parts,’ thus occupying a region intermediate
between that of the Rocky Mountain Hermit-Thrush {T. auduloni) of the Pine-region, and that of
the Tawny Thrush (T. fuscescens) of the lower valleys.”
During the Death Valley Expedition, Dr. Fisher says that this Thrush was reported by
Mr. Belding as common in the Yosemite Valley in California in June, and Mr. Nelson secured a
female on the northern end of the Paramint Mountains on the 1st of May (N. Amer. Faun,
no. 7, p. 145).
The Olive-hacked Thrush is only known as a migrant in the following States:—Illinois
(Ridgway, Ann.Lyc. N. Y. x. p. 365); Ohio (Oberholzer, List B. Wayne Co. p. 338) in October, hut
not observed in spring ; Indiana, spring and autumn migrant in Carroll Co., but not common
(Evermann, Auk, vi. p. 31); Iowa, spring migrant (Jones, Auk, xii. p. 124) ; Western Missouri
spring migrant (Scott, Bull. Nutt. Om. Club, iv. p. 140). Specimens procured in spring are in
the Henshaw Collection from Washington, D.C., Illinois, Virginia (Gainsville, Prince William Co.),
and a large series from Denver and Colorado Springs in Colorado.
No specimens are in the British Museum from any of the South-eastern or Gulf States, but
the species has been recorded from Roane Co., in Tennessee, as having been once seen by
Mr. Fox on the 26th of April, 1885 (Auk, iii. p. 215). In Florida it is said by Mr. Scoit tob e
rather common at Key West in April and May (Auk, vii: p. 119), and in the Caloosahatchie Region
it is known as a spring and fell migrant (Auk, ix. p. 214). A specimen from Bermuda collected
by Captain Savile Reid, is in the British Museum. In Cuba the species is an accidental visitor
(Cory, Auk, iii, p. 2).
Returning to the continental range of the species, we learn that in Texas it is generally not
rare during migration (Nehrling, Bull. Nutt. Om. Club, vii. p. 7). It has been observed as a
migrant near San Antonio by Mr. Attwater, and in the Salvin-Godman Collection is a specimen
obtained by Mr. F. B. Armstrong at Corpus Christi in October. In Western Texas Mr. Uoyd-
says that it was noted by him as a fell migrant ; rare in Tom Green Co., and not observed in
Concho Co. (Auk, iv. p. 298). In New Mexico Mr. Henshaw states that it was fairly numerous in
the autumn, arriving about Sept. IB (Auk, ii. p. 330).
The occurrence of T. swainsoni in Mexico has hitherto lacked confirmation, though Dr. Sclater
has recorded the species (s. n. Turdm minor) from Orizaba (P.Z. S. 1857, p. 212), and Lawrence
(s. n. T. swainsoni) from Tehuantepec (Bull U.S. Nat. Mus. iv. p. 11). Messrs. Salvin and Godman,
however, have received undoubted specimens of this Thrush from Mr. W. B. Richardson, from San
Cristobal.in Chiapas in April, and from Jitotol in the same province, procured in May.
In Guatemala it has been recorded by Count von Berlepsch as having been found by Sarg
at Coban, and a specimen is now in the Salvin-Godman Collection. Carmiol has sent others
from Barranca, Frailes, and Cervantes in Costa Rica (Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N.Y. ix. p. 91) and
Mr. Rogers procured the species in the Irazu district (Salvin and Godman, Biol. Centr.-Amer.,
Aves, i. p. 11). Mr. Cherrie also records a specimen as having been obtained by Sefior S Alfraro
near San José on the 7th of November, 1867 (Auk, v ii p. 337). It had already been recorded
from Costa Rica by Yon Frantzius (J. f. O. 1869, p. 289).
In Nicaragua, Mr. Richmond noticed it on the Escondido River on the 3rd of October
and saw a large flock on the 14th of the same month (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xvi.‘ p. 482)!
M'Leannan procured it at Lion Hill in Panama (Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N.Y. viii. p. 7), and Hughes
at Paraiso (Salvin and Godman, t. c. p. 11). ’
In Colombia it would appear to be common in winter, as several Bogotá skins are in
the British Museum, and Salmon met with the species at Medellin (Scl. & Salvin, P. Z. S. 1879
p. 491). ’
Specimens collected by Buckley at Jima, in Ecuador, are in the Salvin-Godntan Collection,
and Fraser obtained the species at Gualaquiza (Sclater, P. Z. S. 1858, p. 451). Mr. O. T. Baron
has met with it at many places on the Peruvian Andes, at Leimebamba (8500 feet) in December,
Levanto (9000 feet) in November, and at San Pedro (9000 feet) in both these months. His later
collections contain specimens from Yina, Huamacho (5000 feet), obtained in February and March.
A Bolivian example from Bridges’s Collection is in the British Museum.
Von Pelzeln has recorded the Olive-backed Thrush from Cocuy in Brazil, where it was found
by Natterer at the foot of the mountain in February, and the same celebrated collector obtained
the species at Maribatanas in March (Orn. Bras. p. 92).
Swainson’s Thrush has been recorded from Heligoland and from Holstein by Gátke (B. Heligoland,
Engl. ed. p. 242), and by Prof. Giglioli from Italy (Avif. Ital. p. 100). According to the
last-named authority, one was taken near Genoa in the autumn of 1843, and another is in
the museum at Roveredo.
The habits of the Olive-backed Thrush do not seem to differ from those of the other small
species which are its allies. Mr. Steams, in his ‘New England Bird Life,’ writes Its usual
resorts are similar to those of the Hermit, but the mode of nesting, as well as the egg, is quite
different, though the structure of the nest itself is much the same. The nest is built not upon
the ground, but in a bush or small tree, at a man’s height, or beyond it. The first set of
eggs is laid about the 1st of June, and there may be a second set five or six weeks later.
These are usually four in number, dull greenish-blue in ground-colour, but freely speckled
with brownish. In size they are not distinctively different from those of the Hermit, but may
average a trifle larger. The Olive-back has a pleasing song while mating and nesting, and
is not' at all chary of its vocalization at such times; but nothing will be heard from it during the
migrations except a sharp, abrupt call-note. Its general habits and tastes are like those of the
Hermit, the most evident difference between the two birds being in the position of their nests and
the times of their migrations.”
Mr. Williams has given the following interesting note on the species in his paper on the
“ Birds of the Belt River Cañón, Montana ” :—“ Abundant during the breeding-season, appearing
in considerable numbers about the middle of May and again in the second or third week in
September, all along the lower valley streams. The earliest date I have noted their arrival
in spring is May 10th, and at this season they do Hot tarry long away from their breeding-grounds.
In the fall they appear from the higher elevations about September 1st, and remain till October 10th
at least. Throughout the summer the Olive-back is only found in the mountains and, like the
Willow Thrush, at but very short distances from water, but, unlike that sp e c ie s, the male is not
satisfied with an elevation of only a few feet, when towards evening he pours forth his curious
lay to his shy mate below. At such times the most prominent limb of some tall cottonwood is none
too lofty a perch.
“ About the first of July I camped for several days in a grove that seemed a chosen resort
for Olive-backs. Regularly, an hour or so before dark, a bird would be heard from some topmast
branch,. and scarcely would he be through, before another would answer from a few rods away,
only to be followed by still another, till half a dozen or more could be heard from different
localities. Nor would they cease until the last rays of daylight were rapidly disappearing from
the western sky. In early morning they were not nearly so active. In regard to the song
itself, the birds almost always begin by several call-notes, interspersed with various odd chucks,
then the ringing melody, characteristic of the Willow-Thrush’s song, is produced, winding
rather abruptly with some fine, weaker notes. Occasionally they would utter the first call-notes
and ‘ chucks ’ without anything following, but I never heard the latter and more pleasing part