BIRDS OF LA PLATA 



DUSKY THRUSH 



Turdus leucomelas 



Above olive-grey ; beneath pale grey, throat white striped with 

 brown ; under wing-coverts and inner margins of wing-feathers 

 fulvous ; bill yellow ; length 9 inches. 



EIGHT Thrushes are found in Argentina, three 

 being Mocking-birds Miminae, a group re- 

 stricted to America* The other five are true 

 Thrushes, and of these I describe the three which are 

 known to me from personal observation. 



The Dusky Thrush, the best singer, which most 

 nearly resembles our Throstle or Song-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, earth-worm, 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 so unlike 



