BROWN BIRDS WITH SPOTTED BREASTS. 77 



lines at each side o£ the bill add a certain look of 

 contempt. Both qualities, however, are quite foreign 

 to the timid nature of the Throstle. As a songster 

 the Throstle is probably more in evidence than 

 any other bird, and the song is generally delivered 

 from a prominent perch, particularly at sunrise and 

 sunset or during a shower. Mixed with short, rap- 

 turous phrases of the purest quality are squeakings 

 and gabblings unspeakable. Still, whether it be 

 good or bad, each phrase is generally repeated 

 twice or thrice in succession with great exactitude, 

 and this peculiar habit, with the wild, resounding 

 nature of the song itself, often serves to identify 

 the singer. 



IlEDWING — 8J inches ; broad white eyebrow ; orange-red 

 flanks. 



MISSEL-THRUSH— 11 inches; upper parts ash-brown. 

 Cry, harsh rattle. 



FIELDFARE — 10 inclies ; ash-gray lower back in strong 

 relief between brown of upper back and wings and 

 blackish tail. Always in packs, facing the same way 

 whether on the ground or perching. Cry, ' Uchchu- 

 chuchut !' 



REDWING.— Form, plate 33. Length, 8^ inches. 

 Upper parts olive-brown, the wings darker and the 

 tail lighter brown ; a very broad white stripe over 

 the eye ; under parts white ; the cheeks, chin, 

 throat, breast, and sides of body spotted and 

 streaked with dusky - brown ; flanks pronounced 

 ruddy-orange. Winter migrant. 



Distribution.— General. 



The Redwings come to us as winter migrants from 



