THE THRUSHES. 65 



migration. It breeds from April to July, making a big 

 nest of grass, &c., in a bush, and laying three or four 

 greenish-white eggs with reddish spots. It is some- 

 times caged, and is a splendid singer ; and it certainly 

 does well in confinement. 



Before leaving the larger Thrushes, it may be mention- 

 ed for the benefit of the many admirers of that bird, 

 that the European Song-Thrush (Turdus musicus) will 

 live well for years in India, and'' give its characteristic 

 song at the proper season. Almost all, r however, 

 become subject to an excessive overgrowth of 

 the scales of the feet, as do some of the Indian Thrushes. 

 This bird may be safely kept with small Finches, but it 

 would not be wise to trust all Thrushes in such com- 

 pany. 



THE DHAYAL (Gopsychus saularis) is figured on Plate 1 

 (Fig. 4), and the plumage of the male thus needs no de- 

 scription, being simply black-and-white, whence he is 

 sometimes called the Magpie-Robin. The female is 

 similarly marked, but dark grey instead of black, and the 

 young resemble her, with buff mottling on the breast 

 and wings. The Dhayal is one of the most beautifully 

 proportioned of all small birds, and very graceful in its 

 movements either on the wing, on the ground, or in 

 trees. It is a common garden-bird, almost all over the 

 Empire, but does not range very high up the hills. 

 In Burma and the Andamans it is tamer than in India, 

 and will even come into verandahs. I have never seen 

 it so numerous anywhere as on Ross Island in the 

 Andamans, where every morning the air was full of the 

 F, GAB 5 



