NATURAL SCIENCES OP PHILADELPHIA. 305 



referred to by Gosse as Turdus mustelinus, and which Mr. March, in his notes, 

 has been so kind as to call Mimus Hillii.* 



It was not until I came to the south side of Jamaica, after years of experi- 

 ence in the north, that I heard the orpheus sing, and saw the bird. It was 

 said to be known only in a peculiar line of hills bordering the sea, and extend- 

 ing from the Milk river in Vere to the Healthshire hills at Port Henderson, 

 opposite Port Royal. It is commonly enough known in this line of 

 country, but its clear-toned cantalena, as Linnaeus expresses it, may be 

 heard from the topmost bough of copses and thickets away from the sea side, 

 but not far into the plains. The bird will then be seen perched on the 

 highest stem, pouring out in vehement extacy its oft repeated brilliant notes, 

 not unlike those of the Song-thrush of Europe, ( T. musicus) , or perhaps more 

 like those of the Storm-thrush, (T. viscivorus), for the song has much repeti- 

 tion and little variety, and sounds like the words viechoo, viechoo, a vicho 

 a-vicho vicho, with some graduated tones of the same few notes, piped out 

 clear, and for a long continuance. The rhapsody is sure to arrest attention, 

 for it will not be two or three singing together usually, but one bird alone, 

 and all the other songsters will be silent and turned to admiring listeners. 



We understand things best by comparison. The Storm-thrush, known 

 also as the Missel-thrush and the Holm-thrush in England, is the bird our 

 orpheus most resembles in habit as in song. The fondness of the Missel- 

 thrush for the outskirts of woods, and the habit of never entering pastures or 

 open lands, unless they be dotted with copses, or wooded clumps, where it 

 will be heard singing its high-toned song on the upper twig of the inmost 

 tree is exactly the habit of our orpheus. In these more open places, after 

 singing vehemently for a time unanswered by any other straggler of the 

 species, it will be observed to fly away to some more distant clump to repeat 

 there the same song in the same solitary mood. It seems to me never tempted 

 from the sea-bord hills, where it alone nestles. Its favorite attractions are 

 the karata-aloes. When these have blossomed and the honey is pouring 

 from the seed vessels in perfect streams, some three or four birds will be seen 

 on the same stem of clustered flowers, drinking at the running cups and sing- 

 ing every now and then. They bring to my mind Teniers' pictures of merry- 

 topers at a road-side tavern. We never see the birds searching the thickets ; 

 they seem to have gone where they may feed and sing, and sing and feed, 

 without moving. We may set this down as certain that, in the strolls these 

 birds make away from their customary sea-side hills and savannas, they never 

 go beyond the influence of the sea breeze. They limit themselves to its well- 

 known marine freshness. At the time when the opuntias or torch-thistle 

 cactuses are in fruit, among the arid scrubs at the sea side, the orpheus is 

 common enough and plentiful, and the morning and evening song will remind 

 one, in its full mellow tone, of the Black-bird in an English summer. 



The nest of the orpheus exactly resembles that of the poly glottus, an outer 

 frame work of sticks, spotted with moss and lichens, with an inner cup, very 

 nicely rounded, composed of dry grass. It lays some four eggs of a greenish 

 drab, speckled and spotted with umber. I never have seen the nestlings, nor 

 have I even seen the bird caged. 



If by fascia alba Linnaeus means a white bar on the wing, the description 

 would be inaccurate. The lesser wing coverts and the quills are edged with 

 white. If by fascia he means a fillet or bordering, ho is right. The plumage 

 is a light umber, an ashy umber, slightly graduating into drab at the rump, 

 with the shafts of the feathers of a ruddy hue, and the webs somewhat blue- 

 brown. The two outer tail feathers have white inner webs as well as white 

 outer, with a centre of black. The termination is white. The throat and 

 breast are dashed with brown markings. The under plumage is not white, 

 but ashy, with a faint hue of brown. The bill is ebony black, but the tarsus 

 and toes blue-black. 



1863.] 



* See page 291 (B.) 



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