SONG THRUSH 



The Thrush is one of those birds we could least of all do 

 without. It is his song that comes with the flowers when spring 

 first looks on the world. It is the Thrush which makes our 

 English woodlands happy lands of song ; and it is his loud, ringing 

 notes which first tell the country lanes and meadows that old 

 Winter is dead. But even in the months of frost and snow he 

 gives us a passing glimpse of spring, for a little burst of sunshine 

 or a soft shower with the first thaw, is quite enough to make him 

 fly to a high perch, open his beak, and break out into song. 



Last winter I saw a hungry Thrush standing under the shelter 

 of a hedge in my garden. He looked miserable and cold. His 

 head was drawn in and all his feathers were ruffled ; in fact, 

 huddled up in a corner as he was, he looked almost ready to die. 

 I procured food and threw some of this down in front of him ; 

 he eagerly ate this, and then flew into the old apple-tree above, 

 and burst out into a few bars of his summer song. A pretty 

 way this seemed to me of returning thanks for the succour 

 given him. 



When the fair spirit of spring first wanders over the meadows 

 and through the woods, destroying the winter snow and frost, and 

 leaving in her train a path of opening flowers and green buds ; 

 then it is \ha.t the Thrush sings his courting song. And long 

 before the hedgerows are green with the garb of summer the birds 

 have built their nest. Some have wondered how it is that the 

 Thrush is able to make the interior of its nest such a perfect 

 round. The hen does most of the actual construction, while her 

 mate brings the materials. When it is almost finished, and con- 

 tains a lining of wet mud, she shuffles round and round, pressing 

 her breast against the side, and it is this which gives the very 

 perfect cup-shaped appearance to the nest. 



The curves and lines of a bird's body are always beautiful, 

 but those on the Thrush especially so ; and it would be hard to 



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