THE THRUSHES 87 



to break the monotony of the wilderness. The 

 Bluebirds of the New World are justly famed for 

 their vocal powers, the common and best known 

 species [Siaiia sia/is) possessing a soft melodious 

 song of bewitching beauty. The males of this species 

 are much addicted to early morning song, and have 

 the same habit as the Rock Thrushes of the Old 

 World, of singing during flight. The Bluebird has 

 the additional attraction of being a perennial song- 

 ster ; and it is said that at no time of the year is its 

 voice heard to greater advantage than on a warm 

 sunny winter's day. In the Bluebirds and the Rock 

 Thrushes we have certainly a most interesting 

 exception to the almost universal rule that music is 

 not associated with great brilliancy of plumage. In 

 both these groups birds of exceptional brilliancy 

 occur, the Bluebird especially being a species of the 

 brightest tints. The music of the extra British 

 Chats and Redstarts calls for no exceptional mention. 

 The birds in the present group are perhaps more 

 persistent vocalists than the Warblers, for many of 

 the species regain their song after the autumn 

 moult, and sing more or less frequently throughout 

 the colder months. Indeed in some cases the song 

 is peculiar to the stormiest seasons of the year. 

 The present group is fairly well represented in the 

 British Islands, not only as regards number of 

 species, but quality of voice. These we now pro- 

 pose to deal with in detail. 



