THE SONG THRUSH. 



Turdus musicus, LINNAEUS ; LaGrive.BuFFON; Die Siugdrossel, 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 brown, the under 

 part yellowish at the base and yellow within ; the iris is nut 

 brown ; 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 

 yellowish white, with a black line on each side ; the sides of 

 the 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 \vild this species is spread all over Europe, frc. 

 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 15th of September to the 15th of October, 

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



* In Britain they remain all the year. TRANSLATOR. 

 O 



