THRUSHES 25 



in the bank, under a waterfall, on stumps or boulders, &c. 

 The nest is generally a rough ball of felted moss with a hole 

 at the side ; it contains a round nest made chiefly of dry 

 grasses lined with leaves. 



Eggs. Usually 4-6. White. Av. size, l'03x*71 in. Laying 

 usually begins March- April. Broods 2-3. 



(9) Family: Turdidce. Subfamily: Turdince Thrushes 



40. Mistle-thmsh, missel-thrush [Turdus viscivorus viscivorus 

 Linnaeus]. Resident in most parts. 



Bird. Length 10'5 in. Distinguished from the following 

 species by its large size, spotted flanks, and the white 

 spots on the tail-feathers, often conspicuous in flight. Upper- 

 parts mostly greyish-brown, under-parts buff turn to white 

 on the belly. Spots on throat and neck fan-shaped, on the 

 breast and flanks oval. 



Nest. Place : usually in the fork of a tree. Material : grass, 

 moss, &c., with an inner cup of mud lined with dry grasses. 



Eggs. Usually 4. Usually tawny or greenish-white with 

 reddish-brown and violet markings. Av. size, l'16x'87 in. 

 Laying begins March- April, sometimes earlier. Two broods. 



41. Song -thrush [Turdus philomelus clarkei Hartert; 

 Turdus musicus Linnaeus]. Resident and common. The 

 Continental form [ T. ph. philomelus Brehm] is a winter visitor 

 and bird of passage. 



Bird. Length 9 in. Recognised by the olive-brown back, 

 fan-shaped black spots on the whitish under- 

 parts, except on the flanks, which are striated. 

 Distinguished from the Continental form by 

 the more reddish-brown of the upper-parts 

 and a deeper, somewhat rufous-buff on the 

 breast. 



Nest. In bushes, hedges, trees, banks, ivy, 

 rarely on the ground. Material : grass, moss, 

 twigs, &c., lined with a smooth plaster com- 

 posed of one or more of the following materials : 

 decayed wood or vegetable matter, mud, dung, 

 chips of straw, or stems. 



Eggs. Usually 4-5. Blue with black spots. j?ig. 24. 

 Av. size, l'llx'82 in. Laying begins Feb.- 

 March. Broods 2-3. 



42. Redwing [Turdus musicus Linnaeus (1758) ; Turdus iliacus 

 Linnaeus (1766)]. Common winter visitor and bird of passage. 



Bird. Length 8'5 in. Distinguished from the preceding 

 forms by the rich red on the flanks not on the wing as the 



