130 TURDUS MUSICUS. 



^2 ; second toe ■^^, its claw f j ; third toe |§, its claw f| ; 

 fourth toe ^|, its claw f|. 



Female. — The female is generally smaller, but resembles 

 the male in colour, only the yellow of the fore-neck and sides 

 is paler, and the spots on these parts are of a lighter brown. 



Length to end of tail 8^ ; extent of wings 12; wing from 

 flexure 4^ ; tail 8i ; tarsus 1 j% ; middle toe and claw 1^^. 



Variations. — Individuals having more or less white on their 

 upper parts are sometimes met with. Slight differences in tint 

 are observable ; but in specimens shot at the same period they 

 are so slight as to be scarcely appreciable. As to size, there are 

 considerable differences, as may be seen from the following mea- 

 surements taken at different times : — 



M. M. F. F. F. 



Length 9i 9^ 9 8i 8^ 9 91 8 



Extent 14i 14f 13 12i 12 Uk 14| 14 



■Rill 3 8 3 3 3 3 3. 



•Dill 4T2 4 4 4 4 4 



Wing 4ifi 



Tail 3f 



Tarsus li U U lf| If 1^ 



Middle toe... li li 1/j 1/2 1| li 



Changes. — As the summer advances the edges of the feathers 

 become more or less ragged, and the tail worn ; the colours 

 fade considerably, the brown of the back becoming greyish, 

 and the yellow disappearing from the lower parts, of which the 

 ground colour becomes nearly greyish-white. I have seen 

 specimens at this season from which the yellow had entirely 

 disappeared. 



Habits. — The Song Thrush is associated in my memory with 

 the Hebrides, where it is perhaps more abundant than in most 

 parts of Britain. There, in the calm summer evening, such as 

 for placid beauty far exceeds any that I have elsewhere seen, 

 when the glorious sun is drawing towards the horizon, and 



