T 4 Synopsis of the Birds 



21. TURDUS. 



Tardus, L. Briss. Gm. Lath. Cuv. Vieill. Temm. Ranz, 



Bill moderate, much compressed except at base, rounded- 

 cultrate, furnished with bristles ; upper mandible slightly 

 curved, generally notched ; lower shorter, straight, almost 

 rounded : nostrils basal, rounded, half closed by a naked mem- 

 brane; tongue depressed, cartilaginous, fimbriated, emarginate 

 at tip. Feet rather robust ; tarsus longer than the middle 

 toe ; inner toe free, hardly longer than the hind one, which 

 is as robust as the middle toe : nails moderate, compressed, 

 incurved, acute ; the posterior hardly larger than the middle 

 one. Wings short or moderate; spurious feather short; first 

 and second primaries, second and third, sometimes third, 

 fourth, and fifth, longest; secondaries somewhat rounded at 

 tip ; scapulars hardly longer than the secondaries. 



Female and young generally differ little from the male. 

 Young more spotted. Moult annually. 



Gay. Solitary ; several, however, migrate in flocks. Feed 

 on insects and berries. Some eminently distinguished for 

 their admirable song and delicious flesh. 



Found in all countries and climates. Allied to the Family 

 Gregarii by Sturnus, and more particularly by Acridotheres, 

 but evidently belonging to this family ; closely related to 

 Sylvia, Myiothera, Pitta and Saxicola. 



SYLVAN I. 



Live and build in woods, thickets and orchards; egg- 

 4 6. Migrate in flocks. Feed principally on berries, ex- 

 cept when bringing up their young. 



95. Turdus polyglottos, L. Cinereous ; beneath and eye- 

 brows whitish ; tips of the coverts, primaries at base, and 

 lateral tail feathers, white ; tail cuneiform. 



Mocking Bird, Turdvs polyglotius, fVils. £m. Orn. v. 

 p. is. yl. 10. Jig> l 



