lO BLACK-THROATED THRUSH. 



colour as the eggs of the Blackbird, and measure from 1*2 to i" 15 in. 

 in length, and from -8 to 75 in. in breadth" (Seebohm). Crossing 

 the lofty Pamir range in October, it winters in Western Turkestan, 

 Baluchistan, and India as far south as Assam ; its range extending 

 eastward to Lake Baikal. There it meets — and perhaps inter-breeds 

 with — the Red-throated Thrush, T. ruficoliis, a species which has 

 straggled to Heligoland and Saxony. 



The food of this species is stated by Dr. Scully to consist in 

 winter chiefly of the berries of the Eleagiuis, called "jigda" in 

 Turkestan, whence its name of " jigda-chuk," i.e. " jigda-eater " ; 

 a diet varied with insects and worms. Favourite haunts in the 

 cold season are sandhills, low scrub, and trees bordering water- 

 courses. In summer Mr. Seebohm found that the Black-throated 

 Thrush showed a marked preference for pine-trees, and frequented 

 the neighbourhood of the banks of the river where the forest had 

 been cut down for fuel. The parents of the young which he obtained 

 showed great anxiety, making the woods resound with their alarm- 

 note. The song of this species, if it has any, appears to be un- 

 described. 



The adult male in breeding-plumage has the throat and breast 

 black ; belly white, turning to greyish-brown on the sides and flanks ; 

 upper parts olive-brown, darker on the wings and tail. In winter 

 the throat-feathers have light margins, and the general plumage is 

 duller. Young males resemble the adult female, in which the 

 feathers of the throat and breast are not completely black, but have 

 merely dark centres, forming a streaked gorget ; under parts dull 

 creamy-white. In both sexes the under-wing and axillaries are 

 golden-buff". Bill dark brown above, pale below ; legs and feet 

 pale brown. Length about 9-5 in., wing 5-45 in. 



The American Migratory Thrush, Tiir'diis migi'atorius, commonly 

 called in its native country ' the Robin,' owing to its ruddy breast, 

 has been obtained at Dover (Zool. 1877, p. 14) ; but like the Wydah- 

 bird and other exotic species obtained in that locality, it had pro- 

 bably escaped from some ship passing through the narrow seas, and 

 the species cannot be considered to have a claim to a place in the 

 British list. It has occurred once at Heligoland, which is on the 

 high road of vessels for Bremen and Hamburg ; and it is not unfre- 

 quently brought to Europe as a cage-bird. 



