2 TURDID^E. 



The Dusky Thrush is widely distributed in South America, and ranges 

 as far south as Buenos Ayres, where it is quite common in the woods 

 along the Plata river. It is a shy forest-bird ; a fruit- and insect-eater ; 

 abrupt in its motions ; runs rapidly on the ground with beak elevated, 

 and at intervals pauses and shakes its tail ; pugnacious in temper ; 

 strong on the wing, its flight not being over the trees, but masked by 

 their shadows. It can always be easily distinguished, even at a distance, 

 from other species by its peculiar short, metallic chirp a melodious 

 sound indicating alarm or curiosity, and uttered before flight in con- 

 trast to the harsh screams and chuckling notes of other Thrushes in 

 this district. 



Whether it is a fine singer or not within the tropics I am unable to say, 

 its vocal powers having received no attention from the naturalists who 

 have observed it. With us in the temperate climate of Buenos Ayres, 

 where it commences to sing in September, it has the finest song of any 

 bird I know, excepting only Mimus triurus. Like the English Song- 

 Thrush, but unlike its near neighbours the Red-bellied Thrush and the 

 Magellanic Thrush, it perches on the summit of a tree to sing. Its song 

 is, however, utterly unlike that of the English bird, which is so frag- 

 mentary, and, as Mr. Barrows describes it, made up of "vocal 

 attitudes and poses." The two birds differ also in voice as much as in 

 manner. The strains of the Dusky Thrush are poured forth in a con- 

 tinuous stream, with all the hurry and freedom of the Sky-Lark's song ; 

 but though so rapidly uttered, every note is distinct and clear, and the 

 voice singularly sweet and far-reaching. At intervals in the song there 

 recurs a two-syllabled note twice repeated, unlike in sound any other 

 bird-music I have heard, for it is purely metallic, and its joyous bell- 

 like " te-ling te-ling" always comes like a delightful surprise to the 

 listener, being in strange contrast with the prevailing tone. 



The song is altogether a very fine one, its peculiar charm being that 

 it seems to combine two opposite qualities of bird-music, plaintiveness 

 and joyousness, in some indefinable manner. 



I have never heard this species sing in a cage or anywhere near a 

 human habitation ; and it is probably owing to its recluse habits that 

 its excellent song has not been hitherto noticed. Azara perhaps mistook 

 the song of this species for that of Turdus rufiventris, a very inferior 

 vocalist. 



The nest is made in the centre of a thick bush or tree six or eight 

 feet above the ground, and is a deep elaborate structure, plastered inside 

 with mud, and lined with soft dry grass. The eggs are four in number, 

 oblong ; the ground-colour light blue, abundantly marked with reddish- 

 brown spots. 



