Part 50

Ferruginous Thrush or Thrasher, Turdus rufus, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 328.

Ferruginous Thrush, Turdus rufus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 102; v. v. p. 441.

GENUS IV. TURDUS, Linn. THRUSH.

Bill of moderate length or shortish, rather stout, straight, broader than high at the base, compressed toward the end, acute; upper mandible with the ridge rather narrow, the sides convex toward the end, the notches small, the tip narrow; lower mandible with the angle of moderate length, the dorsal line ascending, slightly convex, the sides rounded, the tip narrow. Nostrils oblong, partially concealed by the feathers. Head of ordinary size, ovate; neck rather short; body rather full. Feet longish, rather strong; tarsus as long as the middle toe and claw; hind toe rather stout; lateral toes equal; claws arched, compressed, acute. Plumage soft and rather blended. Wings of moderate length, rounded, the first quill very small, the third and fourth longest. Tail rather long, nearly even.

142. 1. Turdus migratorius, Linn. Migratory Thrush.--Robin.

Plate CXXXI. Male, Female, and Young.

Male with the bill yellow, the upper part and sides of the head black; upper parts dark grey with an olivaceous tinge; quills blackish-brown, margined with light grey; tail brownish-black, the outer two feathers tipped with white; three white spots about the eye, throat white, densely streaked with black; lower part of fore neck, breast, sides, axillars, and lower wing-coverts reddish-orange; abdomen white; lower tail-coverts dusky, tipped with white. Female with the tints paler. Young with the fore neck, breast, and sides, pale-reddish, spotted with dusky, the upper parts darker than in the adult. Bill at first dusky, ultimately pure yellow.

Male, 10, 14. Female, 9, 13.

From Texas eastward and northward, to the Fur Countries. Throughout the interior. Winters in abundance in all the southern States. Columbia River. Abundant.

Robin, Turdus migratorius, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.

Turdus migratorius, Bonap. Syn. p. 75.

Merula migratoria, Red-breasted Thrush, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 176.

American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 338.

American Robin or Migratory Thrush, Turdus migratorius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 190; v. v. p. 442.

143. 2. Turdus nævius, Gmel. Varied Thrush.

Plate CCCLXIX. Fig. 2, 3. Male. Plate CCCCXXXIII. Fig. 6. Female.

Male with the bill black, the upper parts deep leaden-grey, the head darker; quills and tail-feathers dusky, the outer webs of the latter tinged with grey, and their tips white; lore dusky; a band of reddish-orange from over the fore part of the eye down the side of the neck; two conspicuous bands of the same crossing the wing obliquely, being formed by the tips of the first row of small coverts, and those of the secondary coverts; outer webs of primary coverts about the middle, a band on the primaries near the base, part of their outer webs towards the end, and the tips of the secondaries pale reddish-orange; lower parts light reddish-orange, paler behind; a band of greyish-black passing down the side of the neck, and a belt of the same crossing its lower part; feathers of the sides tipped with bluish-grey; those of the middle of the abdomen white; lower tail-coverts tipped with white; axillar feathers white, tipped with grey, smaller coverts grey, tipped with reddish-white; primary coverts grey, secondary nearly white. Female similar, with the upper parts tinged with olive-brown, the reddish-orange bands much paler, the tail-feathers margined with dull reddish-brown; a band on the lore down the sides of the neck and across it light greyish-brown; the orange tints of the lower parts much paler.

Male, 10-1/2, wing, 5-1/4. Female, 10, wing, 5-2/12.

Columbia River, North California, and Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

Orpheus meruloides, Thrush-like Mock-Bird, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 187.

Varied Thrush, Turdus nævius, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 489; v. v. p. 284.

144. 3. Turdus mustelinus, Gmel. Wood-Thrush.

Plate LXXIII. Male and Female.

Upper parts light yellowish-brown, the head and hind neck of a tint approaching to reddish-orange; the rump and tail-coverts duller and of an olivaceous tint; quills and tail-coverts light olive-brown, the outer webs of the coverts and quills like the back; eyes margined with a whitish circle; lower parts white, anteriorly tinged with yellow, the sides and lower part of the neck, the fore part of the breast, and the sides of the body marked with large roundish or broadly ovato-triangular decided brownish-black spots.

Male, 8, 13.

From Texas to Nova Scotia, and throughout the interior. Many spend the winter in Louisiana, Florida, and Texas. Abundant.

Wood Thrush, Turdus melodus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 35.

Turdus mustelinus, Bonap. Syn. p. 75.