although he only obtained specimens in April (Auk, v. p. 167). That this is the case has been
proved by Mr. Mearns, who found this Thrush to be an abundant summer species in the Arizona
Mountains, nesting late in May and in June (Auk, vii. p. 263). The Henshaw Collection contains
a series of specimens from Mount Graham procured in July and September. Mr. Henshaw records
the present species as a plentiful summer resident in New Mexico, and found young out of the nest
on the 18th of July (Auk, ii. p. 330).
Mr. Townsend states that it was noticed by him in Northern California up to 4000 feet in
summer, but was not found to be nesting (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. x. p. 237). Mr. Jeffries records it
from Santa Barbara on the 2nd of April (Auk, vi. p. 223). Dr. A. K. Fisher, in his account of
the Birds of the Death Valley Expedition, writes as follows (N. Amer. Fauna, no. 7, p. 146):-—
“ A race of the Dwarf Thrush, named Turdas sequoiensis by Mr. Belding, but which the ‘ Committee
of Nomenclature I of the American Ornithologists’ Union decided not to be different from Turd/us
auduboni of the Pocky Mountain region, is a summer resident in the Sierra Nevada, and probably
in some of the desert ranges, though this is not certain, as specimens were not taken in the latter
in summer. This applies to the records of individuals seen at Willow Creek in the Paramint
Mountains, during the latter part of May, and on the east side of Wancoba Peak in the Inyo
Mountains in June. In the Sierra Nevada Mr. Dutcher found the species common in the Big
Cottonwood Meadows, and Mr. Nelson reported it as abundant at the head of Owens Piver and on
the San Joaquim Piver. Mr. Stephens heard a Thrush above the- Queen Mine in the White
Mountains, Nevada, July 11-16; saw the species at Bishop’s Creek, August 4-10, and about the
Lakes on Independence Creek, June 18-23. Mr. Belding found it in the Yosemite Valley in
June.” Dr. C. Hart Merriam, in his paper on the birds of the San Francisco Mountain Region,
states that Audubon’s Thrush “ breeds abundantly throughout the Spruce and Douglas Fur zones.
Spotted young were shot on the 1st of August ” (N. Amer. Faun, no, 3, p. 101).
In his report on the Ornithology of the 40th Parallel, Mr. Ridgway observes (p. 394) :—
“ This Thrush was first met with in the Wahsatch Range, where it inhabited chiefly the deep ravines
of the pine-region. The first specimen seen was shot on the 26th of May, in City Creek Canon, near
Salt Lake City; but this was probably a mere straggler from the higher portions of the mountaiDS.”
In Western Texas, according to Mr. Lloyd, it is known as a spring migrant, being tolerably
common in Tom Green Co., but rare in winter in Concho Co. (Auk, iv. p. 298). At San Antonio
Mr. Attwater records it as a migrant, but he adds:—“ A few probably winter here, as I have taken
them early in February, March, and April” (Auk, ix. p. 344). The range of the species in Central
America is well illustrated by the series in the Salvin-Godman Collection from the following
localities:—Rio Salado and Topo Chico, Nuevo Leon, March 3 to April 17 (F. B. Armstrong); Sierra
Madre above Ciudad Vittoria, Tamaulipas, April (WJB. Richardson); Yeceera, Sonora, April 4
(W. Lloyd) ; Tutuaca, Sonora, March 4 (W. Lloyd) ; Pinos Altos, Chihuahua, December [Buchan-
Hepburn)-, Rio de Jesus Maria, Chihuahua, Dec. 4 (W. Lloyd) ; near the city of Mexico (H. S. Le
Strange; White); Tetelco, Jan., Coajimalpa (Tacubaya), Nov., March, Chimalpa, April 2, Coapa,
April 4 [Ferrari-Perez) ; Tenango del Valle, Oct. 14 ( W. B. Richardson); Real del Monte (Hidalgo),
Oct. 17-21 (W. B. Richardson) ; La Parada (Boucard); Oaxaca (Fenochio); Totontepec, Oaxaca,
Feb. [M. Trujillo); Popocatapetl, 8000-12,600 feet (F. M. Godman); Coatepec (Vera Cruz), Nov.
[M. Trujillo); Zapotlan, Jalisco, March 29 (W. Lloyd); Sierra de Bolanos, Jalisco, Feb. 26 to
March 3 (IV. B. Richardson); Sierra Nevada de Colima, Dec. (W. B. Richardson); Rio Frio,
Iztaccihuatl, Sept. ( W. B. Richardson); Volcan de Tacana, Chiapas, March 2-8 (W. B. Richardson);
San Cristobal, Chiapas, April (W. B. Richardson); Volcan de Fuego, Guatemala, Dec. (0 . S.).
The Chiapas specimens would appear to be breeding birds, from the appearance of their plumage.
Messrs. Salvin and Godman (Biol. Centr.-Amer., Aves, i. p. 15) observe that this Thrush is
| a common species on the tablelands, judging from the number o f specimens sent home in collections.
Prof. Sumichrast mentions it as an inhabitant of the alpine regions, and as common in the pinc-
woods of the district of Orizaba. He. obtained it all seasons at Moyoapam, a locality, about
8500 feet above the sea-level (Mem. Bost. Soc. N. H. i. p. 542j. Its presence in Guatemala is
known from a single specimen obtained in December 1873, in the pine-forests of the Volcan de
Fuego, at an elevation of about 11,000 feet above the sea. Whether the species is resident in this
tract of forest or not, cannot at present be stated; but it is not improbable that it is to be found
there, as near Orizaba, at all seasons. It is also almost sure to be met with in the upland ridges
of the Guatemala Altos which stretch north-westwards to the Mexican frontier. ’
The habits of T. auduboni seem to be very similar to those of the allied species. Mr. Ridgway
observes:—“ In its manner of flight, which is gliding and noiseless, this Thrush greatly resembles
Townsend’s Solitaire (Myiadestes townsendi), the resemblance being increased by the pale ochraceous
band across the base of the remiges, which shows as a very conspicuous feature on both birds,
when flying. The haunts of this Thrush were so difficult of access from our camp, and its manners
so reserved, that we could not learn much regarding its habits, nor did we hear its song.
Mr. Mearns (Auk, vii. p. 263) in his paper on “ Arizona Mountain Birds/’ writes :—“ This, the
sweetest mountain songster, is an abundant summer resident in fir and spruce forests, breeding late
in May and in lu n e . At Quaking Asp Settlement, near the end of May, a pair was engaged m
building a nest in my camp. The nest was saddled on to the middle of the lowest limb of a large
spruce, and the birds gathered material for its construction close about my tent with perfect freedom
from shyness, accepting proffered bits of cotton for its completion. Like the Wood-Thrush, its
song is most frequent in the early morning hours and after showers. Ihe form wintering in the
Verde Valley is the Dwarf Hermit-Thrush (Turdus aonalaschJcaz).”
Mr. Williams (Auk, vii. p. 292), writing from Montana, says:—“ Audubon’s Thrush, according
-to my observations, is much the rarest, in Montana, of the birds under consideration. It reaches a
somewhat higher elevation than the Willow and Olive-backed Thrushes, and I have seen it at least
half a mile from streams in dense evergreen timber. The first specimen noted was in the top of a
pine sixty or seventy feet high, standing on a projecting knoll of the mountain side some eight
hundred or a thousand feet above Belt River. I was first attracted by the song, at inat time quite
new to me, and shortly discovered and obtained the bird. Their song begins with two (sometimes
only one) clear, whistle-like notes of slightly different pitch, followed by the ringing melody peculiar
to the songs of the other species, and the whole, though rather too brief, produces a fine effect as it
comes floating, clear and distinct, from the silent dark-timbered mountain-sides. They sing at
irregular intervals throughout the day, and never seem to collect together in any numbers, certainly
manifesting some very hermit-like traits.”
T. auduboni is a larger race than either T. pallasi or T. aonalaschkai, and is of a darker, somewhat
greyer, brown, while the tail is of a dull reddish-brown. The sides of the body are dark ashy or
ochraceous-grey, and the under wing-coverts are pale buff or whitish, as in T. p a lla si; the axillaries
are dark ashy, like the flanks, but with white bases.
Adult male. Total length 6-8 inches, culmen 0*65, wing 4T, tail 2-85, tarsus 1*25.
■ Adult female. Total length 6*4 inches, wing 3’7.
The figure in the Plate representing this species is drawn from a specimen from La Parada
in the Seebohm Collection. P^- $•]