THE SONG THRUSH. 



Tunlus musious, LiNN^us ; La Grive.BuFFON; Die Singdrossel, Bechstein. 



We might, with Brisson, name this bird the small missel 

 thrush^ so much does it resemble the preceding in form, 

 plumage, abode, manners, and gait. Its length is only eight 

 inches and a half, three and a half of which belong to the tail. 

 The beak is three quarters of an inch, horn bro^^^l, the under 

 ])art yellowish at the base and yellow within ; the iris is nut 

 hvovn\ ; the shanks are an inch high, and of a dingy lead-colour. 

 All the upper part of the body is olive brown ; the throat is 

 \'ellowish white, with a black line on each side ; the sides of 

 I he neck and breast are of a pale reddish white, variegated with 

 dark brown spots, shaped liked a heart reversed ; the belly is 

 white, and covered with more oval spots. 



In the female the two black lines on the throat are narrower, 

 the breast is lighter, and of a plain yellowish white, and the 

 reddish spots on the wing-coverts are smaller. These slight 

 differences make it desirable for those whose eye is not accus- 

 tomed to them, to have both sexes before them, if they wish to 

 learn to distinguish them. 



The white variety, that with a white head, the streaked, and 

 the ash-coloured, are not very rare. 



Habitation. — When wild tliis species is spread all over Europe, fre- 

 quenting woods near streams and meadows. As soon as the autumnal fogs 

 appear, they collect in large flights to seek a warmer climate *. The princi- 

 pal time of passage is from the lf)th of September to the 15th of October, 

 and of return about the middle or end of March ; each pair then returns lo 



♦ In Britain they remain all the year.— Translator. 

 O 



