130 



VERTEBRATA. 



« I', 





THE EOCK-THRUSH. 



in the middle with white; tlie under parts reddish ; its food consists chiefly of insects in summer; 

 in winter it devours figs and other fruits. It lives in Southern Europe, ascending to the tops of 

 the high mountains in summer, and coming down to the lower slopes in winter. It frequents old 

 edifices, and sometimes enters the towns, and loves to perch on the naked branches of decayed 

 trees. It builds its nests in the crevices of rocks, or in old towers, laying four to five eggs. 



The Blue Thrush, T. ci/aneus, is eight and a half inches long, and its color is of a deep blue; 

 it inhabits Europe along the borders of the Mediterranean. The African Rock-Thrush, T. ru- 

 pestris, is an African species, resembling the rock-thrush. The Spy-Thrush, T. explorator, is eight 

 inches long, of a brown color above, and maroon beneath; it lives upon mountains, and inhabits 

 Africa. Other African species are the T. reclamator and T. invportunus, T. aurir/asfcr and T. 

 sfrepitans. There are still other species, especially in India, among which we may name the 

 T. errjthror/aster ; several of the species of this part of the world inhabit the mountains, at an ele- 

 vation of five or six thousand feet above the level of the sea. 



The most celebrated American thrush — indeed, the most celebrated of all thrushes — is the Amer- 

 ican MocKiNG-BiRD, T. ])o!t/r/lottus — the Mimus poli/r/lottus of Boie and Baird. It is about 

 nine or ten inches long; brownish-ash above, and beneath a brownish-white. It is considerably 

 larger than its rival the nightingale, but its colors are equally modest. It is migratory, and 

 usually begins to build its nest in the Southern States, where it is very abundant, early in April; 

 in the Middle States, beyond which it seldom ventures, in May and even June. Its nest consists 

 of sticks, intermixed with straw, hay, and wool, lined with fine roots; the eggs are four to five. 

 Wilson has drawn the portrait of this bird with great spirit and felicity. He says : 



"The plumage of the mocking-bird, though none of the homeliest, has nothing gaudy or bril- 

 liant in it, and, had he nothing else to recommend him, would scarcely entitle him to notice; but 

 his figure is well proportioned, and even handsome. The ease, elegance, and rapidity of his 

 movements, the animation of his eye, and the intelligence he displays in listening and laying up 

 lessons from almost every species of the feathered creation within his hearing, arc really surpris- 

 ing, and mark the peculiarity of his genius. To these qualities we may add that of a voice full, 

 strong, and musical, and capable of almost every modulation, from the clear, mellow tones of the 

 wood-thrush, to the savage scream of the bald eagle. In measure and accent he faithfully follows 

 his originals. In force and sweetness of expression he greatly improves upon them. In his na- 

 tive groves, mounted on the top of a tall bush, or half-grown tree, in .the dawn of dewy morning, 

 while the woods are already vocal w'ith a multitude of warblers, his admirable song rises pre-emi- 

 nent over every competitor. The car can listen to his music alone, to which that of all the others 

 seems a mere accompaniment. Neither is this strain altogether imitative. His own native notes, 

 which are easily distinguishable by such as are well acquainted with those of our various song 



