MY PET WOOD THRUSHES. 211 



tnre till they have seen a red-breast bathe without danger ; 

 but the first which ventures is soon followed by the others, 

 which begin to quarrel if the place is not large enough for 

 all the bathers. In order to attract them, it is a good plan 

 to have a tame bird running and fluttering on the banks of 

 a stream." 



So it is with the gentle and affectionate natures of human- 

 ity ; they are easily caught by the " limed twigs " of pre- 

 tence. But here is what the German says of the European 

 bird: 



" The Song Thrush is the great charm of our woods, which 

 it enlivens by the beauty of its song. The rival of the Night- 

 ingale it announces in varied accents the return of spring, 

 and continues its delightful notes during all the summer 

 months, particularly at morning and evening twilight." 



The habits of the English or European Song Thrush agree 

 so perfectly with those of the American bird, that we are 

 almost tempted to pronounce them identical, except that we 

 have heard their songs. One is brilliant, keen and cold as 

 hawthorn hedge rows and a systematized civilization could 

 require ; the other, wild, bold, liquid and free as the very 

 breath of harmonious liberty could demand. 



At all events, the English bird is true to sentiment, and that 

 is all we demand. We cannot help, however, before leaving 

 the subject of English and European song-birds, recurring 

 to what this same European has said in regard to the famous 

 Nightingale. Bechstein says : 



" The male is particularly endowed with so very striking 

 a musical talent, that in this respect he surpasses all birds, 

 and has acquired the name of the king of songsters. The 

 strength of his vocal organ is indeed wonderful, and it has 

 been found that the muscles of his lungs are much more 

 powerful than those of any other bird. But it is less the 

 strength, than the compass, flexibility, prodigious variety and 

 harmony of his voice, which makes it so admired by all 

 lovers of the beautiful. Sometimes dwelling for minutes on 



