84 OUR FAVOURITE SONG BIRDS 



well-defined geographical races. Species are much 

 more .sedentary in the present group than in the 

 preceding one, although there are many which 

 undertake migrations of varying magnitude. The 

 Thrushes are a much more showy group than the 

 Warblers, some of the species being remarkable for 

 exceptional beauty. Their vocal powers are of 

 varying degrees of merit, but amongst them must 

 be included some of the finest of known songsters. 

 As is usual with secondary sexual characters, great 

 diversity even in obviously closely allied species 

 is presented. The Thrushes {Tjirdus), Ouzels 

 (Mem/a), Rock Thrushes [Monticola), and the 

 Robins and Nightingales (Erithaacs), are by far the 

 finest songsters in the family, the latter perhaps 

 claiming the foremost place. The Bluebirds 

 (Siaiia) of America, and the Chats (Saxkohi), Red- 

 starts {Ruiici/ia), and Stonechats {Pratincola) of 

 the Old World are less noted vocalists. The 

 present family is practically a cosmopolitan one, and 

 their centre of dispersal is unquestionably the Inter- 

 Tropical Realm. Many of the finest songsters in 

 the present family are unfortunately non-indigenous 

 to the British Islands, or only occur therein as rare 

 and abnormal migrants. Of these absentees it may 

 prove of interest to the reader to mention the 

 following — all exceptionally famous for their vocal 

 attainments. Perhaps none of the typical Thrushes 

 excel the sweet singers of our own land ; there are 



