THRUSHES AND THRUSHLIKE BIRDS 



571 



whatever berries there are in addition, and so 

 a su|)ply of these should be given as well as the 

 ordinary bill of fare. A meal worm or two 

 occasionally, or two or three grocer's currants 

 soaked and squeezed dry, will not come amiss, 

 and when giving snails do not forget to provide 

 the stone whereon the bird may crack the 

 shell. 



A little colour food, just .sufficient to tint it, 

 added daily to the food, during the moult, 

 gives lustre and richness to the birds plumage. 



A good roomy cage fitted with perches, etc., 

 as for the Missel Thrush, free access to a roomy 

 bath, and scrupulous cleanliness are all that 

 is necessary to complete good management. 

 A show-cage similar to that for the Missel 

 Thrush is suitable, except that the measure- 

 ments need not exceed 18 inches long, 16 inches 

 high, and 10 inches deep. 



When wild, Thrushes will have as many as 

 three broods during their breeding season, 

 which extends oftentimes from April until 

 July, and though they have as yet not been 

 known to breed in cages, will do so freely in 

 an aviary, if supplied with the necessary 

 nesting materials. They seldom, however, rear 

 more than one l)rood a year when in confine- 

 ment. The eggs are generally hatched in 

 fourteen days, and within a fortnight of that 

 time the young will probably leave the nest. 

 While they are rearing young a plentiful supply 

 of live insect food, gruljs, etc., should be 

 supplied in addition to the ordinary soft food. 

 If strong healthy birds the young cocks may 

 be expected to make an attempt at singing in 

 a low tone when about six or eight weeks old. 



The Redwing, Tardus iliaciis {Linn.), is the 

 smallest of the six British representatives of 

 the genus liirdiis, and is a most 

 handsome bird. The general col- 

 our above is olive-brown, head a 

 darker shade than back, the lesser wing-coverts 

 like the back, the medium and greater coverts 

 darker brown, edged with lighter brown tipped 

 with butTy-white. The inner greater coverts 

 margined with reddish-brown, tail feathers light 

 olive-brown, with an ashy shading. Over each 

 eye there is a streak of yellowish w^hite, and 

 a streak of buff below the eye, the fore-neck, 

 lireast and under parts a much whiter shade 

 than the Song Thrush, the markings on the 

 breast being more oblong and as a rule not 

 so evenly distributed as the Thrush, while 

 the sides of the body are washed over as it 

 were with a rich chestnut hue. This Ijrief 

 description will suffice to distinguish this 

 bird from the Song Thrush. The Redwing 

 breeds in Norway and the greater part of the 

 Northern Palajarctic region, and visits these 



The 

 Redwing, 



shores in the mitldle of October or beginning 

 of November, staying with us until the following 

 April or beginning of May. When it arrives it 

 is somewliat shy, kee|)ing to the open country, 

 unless pressed by hunger, when it will approach 

 human habitations in search of food. As it 

 is rather smaller in size than a Thrush, the same 

 kind of cage is well adapted for its keeping. 

 Its food should also be similar. The remark 

 as to the kind of snail eaten by the ^lissel 

 Thrush applies equally to this bird, as their 

 food when wild is very similar, though a more 

 liberal supply of live food in the shape of snails, 

 meal worms, and other grubs, should be given. 

 Considering that we have no o]>portunity to 

 procure nestlings, owing to the P.edwing not 

 breeding with us, the adult birds become fairly 

 steady in a cage with care and patience, and 

 with its happy contrasts in plumage the Red- 

 wing makes a pleasing cage-bird, and also takes 

 kindly to an aviary. It possesses a fine song, 

 though somewhat liroken and irregular. 

 Liniueus met with the bird in Lapland, and 

 says, " Its amorous warblings from the top 

 of the spruce-fir were delightful. Its high and 

 varied notes rival those of the Nightingale 

 herself." In length it is about 8 inches. The 

 female is smaller than the male, and her colours 

 are not so bright. The exhibition properties 

 of the Redwing are good colour, and well- 

 defined markings, combined with size, steadiness, 

 perfect plumage, feet and toes. The show- 

 cage recommended for the Thrush answers 

 well for this bird. 



Like the Redwing the Fieldfare, Turdiis 



pilaris (Linn.), is a visitor to these islands 



during the winter, and is also 



T^^f' gregarious. On their arrival the 



Fieldfare. ^^^^^ ^^^^^^ betake themselves to 



the vicinity of berry-bearing trees, where they 

 remain until the crop has been stripped. The 

 fruit of the iNIountain Ash, being in season at 

 the time of their arrival, is eagerly sought 

 after. In Norway the Fieldfare is the most 

 common bird, and nests in the spruce-firs. 



It is about 10 inches in length. Its plumage 

 is somewhat difierent to that of the rest of the 

 Thrush tribe. Tlie tip of the bill is darker; 

 and from the base, which is Inown, to the eye, 

 the feathers are black ; the upper part of the 

 head ash-grey, laced with brown ; the neck, 

 ear-coverts, rump, and upper tail-coverts are also 

 ash-grey ; the back wings and wing-coverts are 

 a rich chestnut-browui, towards the end of the 

 wing slightly shaded with bluish-grey, which 

 shows more pcrccptil)ly during flight ; the 

 throat is ochreous-bufi', merging on the lireast 

 into pale orange-rufous inteiisilied in richness at 

 the sides, the lower throat streaked and breast 



