AVES— MISSEL THRUSH. 493 



still larger and of a straw color. The back and tail are of a bright red 

 brown. Down the middle of the throat, neck, and breast, the color is blue 

 green, which is encircled by a gorget (as it were) of black with a green shade. 

 The long feathers from the tail are without tufts at the end, but are fur- 

 nished with very short green webs on one side. 



Besides these, there is the garget bird of paradise, and some other species 

 of less note. 



ORDER III.— INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS. 



Birds of this order have the bill middle sized, or short, straight, rounded, 

 slightly edged or awl-shaped ; upper mandible curved and notched at the 

 point, most frequently furnished at the base with some coarse hair, pointing 

 forward ; feet with three toes, before and behind, articulated on the same 

 level, the exterior united at its base, or to the first joint of the middle toe. 



THE MISSEL THRUSH' 



Is eleven inches in length, and weighing near five ounces. It differs 

 scarcely in any other respect from the throstle, except that the spots on the 

 breast are larger. It builds its nest in bushes, or on the side of some tree, 

 as all of this kind are found to do, and lays four or five eggs in a season. Its 

 song, which it begins in spring, sitting on the summit of a high tree, is not, 

 however, so fine as that of the throstle. It is the largest bird of all the 

 feathered tribe that has music in its voice ; the note of all greater birds being 

 either screaming, chattering, or croaking. It feeds on insects, holly, and 

 misseltoe berries ; and sometimes sends forth a very disagreeable scream 

 when frightened or disturbed. It is very common in England, but is not 

 found in America. While breeding, it is fierce and pugnacious, driving 

 with great fury to a distance all birds that approach its nest. No jay, 

 magpie, or blackbird, must enter the garden which is his haunt. 



1 Turdus viscivorus, Lin. The genus Turdus has the bill middle sized, sharp edged, 

 tip compressed, and recurved; upper mandible notched near the point; detached haiifi 

 at the opening of the mandibles ; nostrils basal, ovoid, lateral, half concealed by a naked 

 membrane ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, to which last the outer is united at the bas^. 



42 



