try my luck with Woodcock. I ma\' mention that the dimensions 

 •of mj'' Wader aviary are 15 yards by 11 yards by 8 feet high ; and 

 in conclusion, would strongly recommend any lover of British 

 birds to try Waders, as they will amply repay his trouble. 



Gbe ©live^bachet) Gbrusb. 



Turdus set) amis (7). 

 By R. Suggitt. 



Out of a private consignment of birds from Mexico, which 

 arrived here in June 1907, I was fortunate enough to secure a 

 true pair of Olive-backed Thrushes. The accommodation on 

 board the sailing ship, by which the birds were brought, was very 

 limited, and consequently a large percentage died on the voyage. 

 None of the survivors would have taken a prize at the Crystal 

 Palace, but they appeared fairly healthy. 



The Thrushes were in a particularly dirty state, and had 

 their wings very closely clipped. Both birds were ridiculously 

 tame. 



The Olive-backed Thrush is almost as large as the Song 

 Thrush. The general plumage of the male is olive brown, 

 greener on the rump and upper tail coverts; flight feathers and 

 tail darker brown edged with olive ; under surface tinged with 

 buff; the feathers beneath the wings and the under tail coverts 

 paler; throat dirty white streaked with brown ; bill at base blue 

 grey, dirty yellow towards the tip ; eyes, brown ; feet, lead colour. 

 The female is more stoutly built than the male, has a shorter, 

 thicker bill, and is throughout decidedly greener in colour. 

 The song is sweet but very low and is usually sung at dusk. 



I put them into my outdoor aviary in July. The hen could 

 .fly a few feet, but the cock had to trust almost entirely to his 

 legs. They are very fond of bathing, and will soak themselves 

 half a dozen times a day. They will eat earthworms, caterpillars, 

 gentles, almost any live thing in fact, except garden slugs and 

 snails ; any preference they may have is for mealworms. They 

 are not fond of fruit, although I have seen the cock eat a little 

 -very ripe banana. They are harmless, rather timid birds, and 



