208 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Number of eggs Familiarity. 



bare inside plastering (but not till it is thoroughly 

 dry) five or six in number, of a bluish-green co- 

 lour, speckled with a few black spots, chiefly at 

 the biggest end. These birds commonly pair 

 about the beginning of spring, and lay twice, or 

 even a third time, in. case any accident destroys 

 the former clutches. M. Albin says, he saw a 

 nest of young thrushes on the 5th or 6th of April, 

 notwithstanding it had been a cold spring, which 

 were well feathered, and at least twelve days old. 

 It is difficult to distinguish the male of this spe- 

 cies from the female, either by the size, which 

 is nearly equal in both sexes, or by the colours, 

 which are extremely variable. 



The thrushes, though solitary birds, may some- 

 times be seen in considerable numbers. Each 

 family commonly goes under the conduct of the 

 parents, and sometimes several of these families 

 meeting together in the woods, might induce a 

 belief that they are gregarious. These meetings, 

 however, are only accidental and momentary ; 

 the birds are soon observed to separate into as 

 many parties as there are families; and these dis- 

 perse completely when the young are capable of 

 providing for themselves. 



This bird, which renders the forest vocal with 

 his music, sings equally well in a state of capti- 

 vity. " A lady of my acquaintance," says Son- 

 iiini, " had a thrush which she kept eight years. 

 He became so familiar as to follow his mistress, 

 'Whistled several tunes extremely well, aud lived 

 6 



