

THE TRUE THRUSHES. 263 



II. THE SONG-THRUSH, TURDUS MUSICUS, 

 (Plate XX '//., Fig. I.) 



Turdus musicuS) Linn., Syst. Nat., i., p. 292 (1766); Macg., 

 Br. B., ii., p. 127 (1839); Dresser, B. Eur., i., p. 191, pi. 2 

 (1871) ; Newt. ed. Yarr., i., p. 264 (1872); Seeb., Cat. B. 

 Brit. Mus., v., p. 191 (1881) ; idfBr. B., i., p. 213 (1883) ; 

 B. O. U. List Br. B.,p. i (1883); Lilford, Col. Fig. Br.B., 

 pt. i. (1885) ; Saunders, Man., p. 3 (1889); Wyatt, Br. B. 

 pi. i., fig. i (1894). 



Adult Male. General colour above olive-brown ; the lesser 

 ring-coverts like the back ; median and greater coverts, as 

 well as the quills, dark brown, externally ochraceous-brown, 

 with yellowish-buff tips to the coverts, distinct on the median 

 series, but less marked on the greater coverts ; bastard-wing 

 feathers and primary-coverts blackish at the ends ; the primary- 

 quills lighter near the base of the outer webs; tail-feathers 

 ruddy-brown; head like the back, the eyelid and lores buff; 

 ear-coverts ochreous-brown, streaked with buffy-white and 

 tipped with black ; cheeks buffy-white, minutely spotted with 

 black, which forms a line above and below, the latter indicat- 

 ing a moustachial line ; throat white, tinged with golden-buff; 

 fore-neck, chest, and sides of body bright golden-buff, thickly 

 marked with triangular or ovate spots of black, which become 

 larger and more streaked on the sides of the body ; centre of 

 breast, abdomen, and under tail-coverts white, the latter with 

 olive-brown margins ; flanks washed with olive-brown ; thighs 

 ochraceous-buff; under wing-coverts and axillaries deep orange; 

 quills dusky below, ochreous along the inner web ; bill dark 

 brown, pale towards the base of the lower mandible; feet pale 

 yellowish horn-colour; iris brown. Total length, 9 inches; 

 culmen, 075; wing, 4*5 ; tail, 3^2 ; tarsus, 1*2. 



Adult Female. Does not differ in plumage from the male. 

 Total length, 8-5 inches ; wing, 4*4. 



Young- More rufous than the adults, and having the feathers 

 of the upper surface and the wing-coverts broadly edged with 

 golden-buff: there is a spot of golden-buff on the ear-coverts 



