PERCHING BIRDS. 251 



Golden Oriole ; the Jay ; the Magpie ; the Raven ; the Rook ; 

 the Carrion Crow ; the Jackdaw ; the Chough ; and the Bird 

 of Paradise. The second group includes the Swallow; the 

 Martin ; the Goldfinch ; the Linnet ; the Canary ; the Bull- 

 finch ; the Bunting and many others. The third group con- 

 tains the Starlings ; the Weaver Bird ; the Lark ; the Wagtail, 

 and the Pipits ; the fourth group, the King Bird of North 

 America ; the Manakins of Guinea ; the Chatterers of South 

 America ; the Bell Bird of Brazil, and the Umbrella Bird of 

 the Amazon. The fifth group contains the Lyre Birds and 

 the Scrub Birds of Australia. 



The The order of Thrush-like perching birds is a 



Thrash. vei y large one, including nearly three thousand 

 known varieties. Of these it will be impossible, within present 

 limits, to even mention a very large number, and we shall 

 content ourselves with dealing with a few of the better known 

 species. 

 The Common The Thrush is one of the most popular ot 



Thrush. English native birds, as its song is one of the 

 most beautiful of those of the bird kind. It is a herald of 

 the English spring and summer, beginning to sing at the end 

 of January and continuing until July. It builds its nest in a 

 hedge or bush, and, as it breeds early in the year, lines it 

 with a plaster of mud to protect its young from the cold winds. 

 It is a bold bird and will vigorously defend its nest from the 

 attacks of larger birds. It feeds on insects, snails and worms. 



"Watch an old thrush," says Dr. Stanley, "pounce down 

 on a lawn, moistened with dew and rain. At first he stands 

 motionless, apparently thinking of nothing at all, his eye 

 vacant, or with an unmeaning gaze. Suddenly he cocks his 

 ear on one side, makes a glancing sort of dart with his head 

 and neck, gives perhaps one or two hops, and then stops, 

 again listening attentively, and his eye glistening with atten- 

 tion and animation ; his beak almost touches the ground, 

 he draws back his head as if to make a determined peck. 



