202 THE ROCK THRUSH. 



three quarters of which, helong to the tail. The beak, an inch 

 long, and the shanks, an inch and a quarter high, are black. 

 The head and neck are grayish blue, or ash blue, lighter in 

 the old, and darker in the young birds ; the top of the back is 

 dark brown, often varying to a lighter brown, the middle a fine 

 white ; the rump, of a dark brown, has the feathers tipped 

 with white ; the breast is dark orange, the belly the same ; 

 but, according to the season, more or less spotted and undulated 

 with white. 



The female is dark brown on the upper part of the body, 

 with edges of whitish gray to the feathers ; those of the rump 

 are rust-colour, with the same gray edge ; the chin is white ; 

 the throat brown ; the under part of the neck, and the whole 

 under part of the body, of a dirty orange, with waving lines of 

 brown and white ; the tail is paler than that of the male, and 

 the feet are dark brown. 



HABITATION. When wild it is found in the south of Europe and Ger- 

 many, in Austria, and the Tyrol. In France, in Bugey, and more to the 

 south ; and especially in the Alps and Pyrenees, frequenting rocks or old 

 ruined castles. In its migrations it visits bare rocky mountains, searching 

 for insects which take refuge among the stones. Its departure is in Sep- 

 tember and its return in March. 



In confinement it is furnished with a cage larger than that of the night- 

 ingale. 



FOOD. When wild it appears to live entirely on insects. 



In confinement it is fed like the nightingale ; but with every care it 

 cannot long be preserved. 



BREEDING. The female builds her nest in an almost inaccessible cre- 

 vice of the rocks, and lays five eggs. As the young are very susceptible 

 of instruction, they are readily brought up when they can be obtained * ; 

 they are fed and treated like young nightingales. 



MODE OF TAKING. It is by fixing to the spots they frequent plenty of 

 limed twigs, with meal-worms attached to them ; it is said that in the 

 Alps and Pyrenees they are caught with a bird-call. 



ATTRACTIVE QUALITIES. It is considered one of the most agreeable 

 singers ; and if caught young it soon acquires the songs of the other birds 

 of the chamber, learns to whistle tunes, and even, like the starling, to re- 

 peat words. "It begins to sing,'' says Buffon, "a little before dawn, 

 which it announces by noisy sounds. If its cage is approached during the 

 night with a candle, it begins to sing ; and when, during the day, it does 

 not sing, it appears to be practising in an under tone, and preparing new 

 songs." 



* I purchased two at Coblentz, which lived some time in England. Individuals 

 bare been sold in London for seven pounds. TRANSLATOR. 



