354 THE EOCK THRUSH. 



Thrush, although possessing the characteristics of the latter 

 bird. The beak black, with yellow corners, is one inch long ; 

 the strong black feet one inch and a quarter high. The head 

 and neck are greyish blue, or bluish ashen grey ; lighter in 

 the old birds than in the young ones. The upper part of the 

 back dark brown, sometimes clouded with a lighter tinge ; the 

 middle a beautiful white ; the rump dark brown, with white 

 edged feathers. The breast and belly are dark orange ; the 

 latter spotted or clouded with white, more or less distinctly, 

 according to the time of the year, an appearance which is 

 caused by the white edges of the feathers. The vent is a pale 

 yellowish red ; the wing coverts darkish brown, with white 

 points ; the quill feathers very dark brown, or blackish, the 

 hinder ones somewhat lighter, whitish at the points, and 

 having a narrow white border on the further side ; the tail 

 dark yellowish red, with the two centre feathers greyish brown. 



The female has the upper part of the body dark brown, the 

 feathers bordered with greyish white ; the rump is rust coloured 

 with a similar edge ; the chin white ; the throat like the 

 upper parts, but much lighter ; the front of the neck, and all 

 the lower parts, dirty orange, with brown and white wavy 

 lines ; the tail as in the male, but somewhat lighter ; the feet 

 dark brown. 



Habitat. This Thrush is found in Southern Europe and 

 Germany ; for example, Austria, the Tyrol, &c., but rarely 

 comes more north. It is common upon the Alps and the 

 Pyrenees. It chooses rocky and stony places, as well as 

 old castles, and even peasant cottages for its abode. In its 

 migrations, it seeks the bare mountains, looking, like the Red- 

 start, for beetles and other insects under the stones. It arrives 

 in March, and takes its departure in September. 



When in confinement, it is usually distinguished as a rare 

 bird, with a handsome cage, which should be somewhat larger 

 than a Nightingale's. 



Food. When wild, this bird feeds on insects, but in con- 

 finement needs Nightingale's food, to preserve its life and 

 health. It is generally fed with a mixture of bread, yellow 

 rape seed, wheat meal, ants' eggs, and chopped bullock's heart. 

 It sometimes also needs a meal worm. 



Breeding. The female lays five eggs in the nest, which is 

 generally made in a hole of a rock, or a heap of stones. When 

 reared from the nest, these birds are exceedingly docile. 



