SONG-THEUSH.— rur(!7is miisiais. 



and often working great havoc in an orchard or fruit-garden. But in spite of its occasional 

 inroads upon the gardens, it deserves the gratitude of the agriculturist on account of its 

 services in destroying tlie snails and otlier garden pests, and may well be allowed to take 

 its autumnal toll of a few of the fruits of which it has been such an efficient preserver. 

 In no case, indeed, does it become us to be over chary of admitting our fellow-creatures 

 to a share of the good things, which are in reality no more the property of the man than 

 of the bird ; remembering that although to man has been given the dominion over every 

 inhabitant of eartli, yet the beasts, the birds, and the creeping tilings have also received 

 their gift of every green herb from the same Divine hand which entrusted man with an 

 authority higher in degree, but not more authentic in origin. 



The nest of the Thrush is rather large, and sliaped like a basin. The shell of the nest 

 is composed of roots and mosses, inside which is worked a rather thin but wonderfully 

 compact layer of cow-dung and decayed wood, so strongly kneaded that when dry it will 

 hold water almost as well as an earthenware vessel. Sometimes the bird employs rather 

 strange materials for its nest, and I know of an instance where a Thrush carried off a lace 

 cap that was hanging on a clothes-line, and worked it into the sides of its nest. There 

 are usually five eggs, of a beautiful blue spotted with black. The spots are small, round, 

 and well marked, and are extremely variable in size and number ; they are always gathered 

 towards the larger end of the egg. 



Tlie fecundity of the Thrush is very great, a single pair leaving been seen to make five 

 nests in the course of a single season (one of which was destroyed), and to rear seventeen 

 young. The female bird was so tame, that she would permit herself to be fed while 

 sitting on lier eggs. I have seen a similar example of confidence in this bird, and have 

 stroked the head of a female Thrush while engaged in the duty of incubation. The birds 

 are very quick about their domestic affairs, as may be seen from the fact that a nest was 

 begun on April 26th, the young hatched on May 19th, and all flown on May 28th. This 

 nest, however, was placed in a very warm situation, which may have had some effect on 

 the rapidity of the process. 



Like many other good songsters, the Tlirush possesses the power of imitating the 

 notes and even the gestures of other birds, as may be seen by tlie following letter from 



