TURDIN.E. 



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THE ROCK-THRUSH. 



MoNTicoLA SAXATiLis (Litinajus). 



The claim of the Rock-Thrush to a place in the British list rests 

 upon an example shot on the 19th May, 1843, at Therfield, in Hert- 

 fordshire, and figured as above by the late Mr. Yarrell, who examined 

 it before it was skinned ; the bird is now in the collection of Mr. F. 

 d'Arcy Newcome. Some other occurrences are recorded, but are 

 not authenticated. 



The individual in question had no doubt deviated on its spring 

 migration to the westward of its usual course, but some of the 

 regular haunts of this species are at no great distance from our 

 shores ; the central and side valleys of the Rhine, Moselle, Upper 

 Meuse, and some portions of Alsace being visited every summer. 

 The bird also breeds sparingly in the Hartz Mountains, Thuringia, 

 and other suitable situations in Germany ; while it has occurred 

 several times in Normandy, Belgium, and Heligoland. In Switzer- 

 land and southwards it is generally distributed throughout suitable 

 rocky districts, although often local ; and where, as in Southern 

 Spain and Northern Africa, its congener the Blue Rock-Thrush 

 {Monticoia cyanus) predominates, it retires to higher ground. From 



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