The Scottish Naturalist. 79 



one in Durham." So this is the tenth authentic instance of White's Thrush 

 having been killed in Britain. 



" On comparison with a specimen that has been long mounted, the fresh 

 beauty of the colours in yours is very decidedly marked, yet I fear that no- 

 thing can be done to preserve its tints, and that when as many years have 

 elapsed their riclmess will have disappeared. I have wholly failed to find 

 any indication that would enable me to determine the sex or age of your 

 bird. There is no question about its being the true Turdtis varhis of 

 Pallas, though the tail is wanting — an unfortunate thing, as therein lies one 

 of the most curious characters of this species— one that is possessed, so far as 

 I know, by only one other species of Thrush —the presence of fourteen instead 

 of twelve rcctrices. 



" The real White's Thrush, T. varius, Pallas, was first described as an 

 inhabitant of Siberia, to which country, and to the N.E. of Asia {i.e., China 

 and Japan), it is now known to be a regular summer visitant. Owing to 

 causes which I cannot attempt to explain, a small number of examples seem 

 yearly to migrate "cvcstivard in autumn, and to come into Europe, where 

 they occur as stragglers ; but the majority, no doubt, retire more or less due 

 southward, for they have been obtained in winter in the Philippine Islands, 

 and suchlike places. 



" In Java there is a Thrush to all appearance extremely like the true T. 

 varius, even to the curious character of having fourteen tail-feathers. This 

 Javan bird was described by Horsfield under the name of T. varius, he being 

 ignorant (it would seem) that Pallas had previously applied the same specific 

 name to another species. But the Javan species appears to be a resident in 

 that island, or at any rate not to possess the migratory habits of the East 

 Asiatic species, and accordingly the Javan species has a comparatively short 

 and rounded wing, in which the second primary is considerably shorter than 

 the sixth, and all the quill-feathers are much broader. This Javan bird is now 

 usually known as Turdus (or Oreocinda) horsjiddi. In India, Ceylon, and 

 Australia are other species with much the same colouring as that of T. varius 

 and T. Jiorsfieldi, but they have all only twelve tail-feathers, while the two 

 above mentioned have fourteen. There are, however, other characters by 

 which they may be distinguished, though these require some knowledge of 

 the subject to detect them ; and I am sorry to say that, both in this country 

 and on the Continent, persons have been found unscrupulous enough to try 

 and pass off examples of the Indian and Australian species for those of the 

 true T. varius. Over and over again have I seen in collections the Australian 

 bird personating the true T. varius. No one who knows the difference can 

 fail to detect the difference directly ; but there is a large number of persons 

 who are deceived, and it is clear that Mr Yarrell himself was one of them, for 

 his description of the specimen shown to him, and said to have been killed in 

 the New Forest, proves to have belonged to the Australian bird ; and indeed, 

 I have since been told by Mr Gould, who perfectly recollects the circum- 

 stance, that it was stuffed with Australian wool ! " — Andrew Brotherston, 

 Shedden Park Road, Kelso. 



