50 



Sonic African Thrushes. 



c\ cock in a neis^iibouring" aviary. Of course, the hens may sini^ 

 for all I know to the contrary, ])ut I imas^ine this is unlikely. 

 The soni^" is ratlier a sweet one, but not very lont;' sustained, and 

 pitched in a much lower tone than that of our Soni^ Thrush 

 {T . mus'icus). This bird is common throug'hout South Africa, 

 where it is 'found in the kloofs and valleys, and similar places 



Photo by W. Shore Baily. F.Z.S. 

 Olivaceous Thrush. 



where there is cover. When disturbed it flies off with a startled 

 cry like that of our blackbird. Its nest also is similar. Eggs 

 four in number, greenish blue, mottled with reddish-brown 

 spots. In captivity it is practically omnivorous, partaking freely 

 of bread and milk, biscuit meal, seed, fruit and insects, as offered. 



Dcscripi'io}} : Above, dark slate colour; throat white, 

 streaked with black; breast dusky-olive, shading into orange- 

 rufous on the abdomen ; sides and flanks, under tail-coverts 

 white, streaked with brown; bill, upper mandible dusky; lower, 

 yellow; feet and legs yellow-ish. Size p.sins. 



T Urdus libonianus The Kurrichane Thrush (see 



frontispiece) takes the place of T. olivaccus in the northern 

 portion of South Africa. It is a smaller bird, is somewhat 

 similar, and has been occasionally offered by dealers as the 

 female of the preceding species. T have had four or five 

 s jecimens, and have at the moment three. They do not differ 



