52 WATER.QUSELS. OR IOLES LYR ES. 



hesitatingly imitates all the sounds it hears, also belongs to the 

 tribe of Thrushes. 



16 The WATER THRUSHES, Cinclus, have a cutting, straight, 

 elevated beak, compressed and rounded towards the end, with 

 the point of the upper mandible bent over the lower one. There 

 is but' one species in Europe, which has the singular habit of 

 descending into the water, without swimming, but walking about 

 the bottom in search of small animals upon which it feeds. The 

 *ftni ncdit Water ()u*cl t or Dipper, (Jinclus Jluieriranns, is 

 cinereous gray, with a blackish brown head and neck. It is 

 distinguished from the European species by the absence of the 

 white on the chin and throat. Of the particular habits of this: 

 bird little is yet known. 



17. The ANT-CATCHERS, Mi/othera, so called because they 

 live chiefly on ants, are recognised by their long legs and short 

 tail ; they are found on botii continents. 



18. The ORIOLES, Oriuhis, resemble the thrushes very much, 

 but their beak is a little stronger, their legs are shorter and their 

 wings a little longer in proportion 



19. The European OHote, or Golden Thrush* the Yellow 

 Tkru&k of the Germans, Oriotusfjalbufa, is of nearly the same 

 size as the thrush, (nine or ten inches long, and the spread of the 

 wings about sixteen ) The male is of a beautiful yellow; the wings, 

 the tail and a spot between the eye and beak are black, and the 

 end of the tail is yellow ; but during the first two years of life, like 

 the female at all times, he has an olive in place of the yellow, and 

 brown in place of the black colour. This bird suspends its nest, 

 which is very artfully constructed, from the branches of trees; in 

 the summer it eats cherries and other Iruits, but in the spring it 

 feeds on insects : it remains in Europe only during the warm 

 season, and goes to Africa to pass the winter. It migrates in 

 companies of five or six. In the summer, when it has become 

 fat, its flesh is good to eat, and were it not so difficult to rear, it 

 would be the ornament of our cages for its beauty. The Lia/ti- 

 more Oriole, or Gollcn kolthi, Oriulus bultimore, Icterus 

 baltimnre, comes amongst us from its winter retreats in South 

 America, about the first week in May. It bears a general resem- 

 blance to the preceding. 



20. The LYRBS, l/teura, have been placed with the gallina- 

 ceous birds by some naturalists who were more struck with their 



16. What are the characters of the Water Thrushes? 



17. How aie liie Ant-catchers fecpgniaed? 



18. What are the characters at' the Orioles ? 



19. What art- the oh iruct<rs of the European Oriole ? What are Its habitu 



20. What are the Lyres ? From what do they take their name T 



