66 A WINTER BIRD-STUDY. 



and a sharp snap of the bill when on the war- 

 path, which, repeated rapidly, resembles the 

 rattle of castanets. His song is sweet, but very- 

 low, never uttered except when others are sing- 

 ing, and then so softly it can scarcely be heard. 

 There is as great difference between singers in 

 the feathered race as in our own ; not all of us 

 can be Campaninis. 



In eating, this thrush is almost omnivorous. 

 His usual fare — mocking-bird food — he con- 

 stantly varies with bread, of which he is ex- 

 tremely fond, and which I am obliged to furnish 

 of the exact quality he likes ; he will not touch 

 biscuit or cracker ; the bread must be fresh and 

 soft, in pieces not too small. If he does not ap- 

 prove of the morsel offered, he takes it, and im- 

 mediately lets it fall. A large piece he breaks 

 up by literally " wiping the floor " with it, hold- 

 ing it in his bill and rubbing first one side and 

 then the other on the matting, till it crumbles 

 and he can swallow it. In the same way he 

 treats worms, fruit, and everything he chooses 

 to eat. His taste is catholic in the extreme ; 

 not only does he like the above viands, but 

 strings, threads, and little rolls of dust brought 

 out from under furniture. He likes all fruits, 

 especially grapes. After having supplied the 

 place of meal-worms with bits of fresh beef a 

 few times, he adopted the new food eagerly, re- 



