WHICH SHALL WE CHOOSE? 15 



The thrasher, or, more properly, brown 

 thrush, considerably resembles the robin in 

 confinement, though he has none of the thrush 

 composure, being very restless in manner. He 

 is always busy, always interested, and full of 

 devices to amuse himself and you. Some- 

 times, especially if kept apart from other birds, 

 he will sing beautifully in a cage, but I must 

 confess there was always too much society, 

 and too much going on, for any thrasher to 

 sing in my house. 



The thrushes wood, hermit, and Wilson's 

 are all lovely and winning birds in a house ; 

 but it is difficult to make them at home, or to 

 reconcile them to captivity. They are re- 

 served, and rarely familiar with other birds. 

 They do not go into wild panics, or make mad 

 efforts to escape ; but they look straight at one 

 out of beautiful, untamable eyes, in a way 

 that makes it very hard for a bird-lover to 

 keep them confined a moment. They do not 

 condescend to pranks, and amusement is the 

 last thing we must expect from this dignified 

 family. 



A rollicking, mischief-loving relative of the 

 thrushes is the cat -bird, and for eccentric 



