148 TTTRDID-li, 



All the Thrushes are principall}- ground-feeders, especially in 

 summer ; but the species of this genus are par e.vcllnce Ground- 

 Thrushes, being still less frequently found in trees than their near 

 allies. Their legs and feet are strong, and pale in colour. 



The bill is moderately stout, about the length of the head, some- 

 "what widened at the base, and more or less furnished with rictal 

 bristles. In two species it is abnormally short ; and in four species 

 it is abnormally long and depressed at the base. The bastard 

 primary rarely exceeds an inch in length, and is frequently shorter 

 than the primary-coverts. The wing is more or less rounded, as the 

 species arc more or less sedentary in their habits. 



The tail is nearly even, and consists of twelve feathers, except in 

 three species, which have fourteen tail-feathers. In some species the 

 sexes are alike, whilst in others they are different. In some species 

 the spotted plumage, characteristic of young in first plumage in this 

 family, is retained through life, whilst in others it is retained only on 

 some of the wing-coverts after the first autumn moult. In others it 

 is entirely lost at that time. On the whole this genus must be con- 

 sidered one of the best-defined of the family Turdidce. 



Xo species of this genus is found in Europe or in South America, 

 except accidentally on migration. On the other baud, it is the only 

 genus of the family found in Australia, where it is represented by 

 three species. New Guinea, Lombock, Timor, and Celebes each add 

 a species to the genus. Three more species are found in Java, whilst 

 a fourth is found both in Java and Lombock. Two are peculiar to 

 Ceylon. India and Burma add ten species to the gemis, Avhilst 

 the islands in the Bay of Bengal add two more. In Eastern Siberia 

 this genus is represented by two species ; whilst a third has crossed 

 the straits and established itself in western Xorth America, and a 

 fourth has wandered as far as the mountains of Mexico. No less than 

 eleven species have been found on the African continent, and probably 

 others remain to be discovered. 



Key to the Species. 



Feathers of the head and back with a trans- 

 verse terminal black band, in strong contrast 

 to the brown general colour of the upper parts. 



(Subgeneric gi-oup OBEOCixcLiE.) 

 1. Tail-feathers fourteen. 

 «'. Second primary intermediate in length be- 

 tween the fourth and fifth. Length of 



wing 6'4 to 5'9 inches. General colour of 



the upper parts olive- brown, with traces of 



pale ochraceous-brown subterminal spots 



on the feathers of the head and back .... varia, p. 151. 

 b'. Second primarj' intermediate in length be- 



tweenthe fifth and sixth. Ijength of ■«'ing 



5 -4 inches. General colour of the upper 



parts ocbraceous brown, with traces of 



paler subtemiinal spots on the feathers of 



the head only horsfehli, p. 153. 



