TURDUS 



breeding-range in Europe extends from Greece and Southern 

 Spain to about 68 N. lat. The nest, usually placed on the 

 branch of a tree, often at a considerable height, is constructed 

 of twigs, bents, moss. &c., the foundation plastered with mud, 

 and is lined with fine grass, rootlets, and, occasionally, moss. 

 The eggs, 4 or 5 in number, are reddish grey or brownish 

 olive, marked with purplish brown or dark reddish brown, and 

 measure about 1*32 by 0*9. They are frequently deposited in 

 February, and both sexes share in the task of incubation. The 

 Himalayan form, T. hodgsoni, Homeyer, is, as a rule, rather 

 larger and paler in colour, but on comparing a series I find no 

 specific difference between specimens from the Himalayas and 

 Europe. 



2. SONG THRUSH. 

 TURDUS MUSICUS. 



Turdus musicus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 292 (1766) ; Naumann, ii. p. 262, 

 Taf. 66 ; Hewitson, i. p. 81, pi. xxiii.'fig. 2; Gould, B. of E. ii. 

 pi. 78, fig. 2 ; id. B. of Gt. Brit. ii. pi. 32 ; Newton, i. p. 264 ; Dresser, 

 ii. p. 19, pi. 2 ; Tacz. F. 0. Sib. 0. p. 316 ; Seebohm, Cat. B. Br. 

 Mus. v. p. 191 ; Saunders, p. 3 ; Lilford, iii. p. 82, pi. 41. 



Grive, French ; Tordo, Portug. ; Zorzal, Span. ; Tordo bottacio, 

 Ttal. ; Sing-Drossel, German ; Zanglijster, Dutch ; Graadrossel, 

 Dan. ; Naaltrost, Norweg. ; Tatttrast, Swed. ; Haukirastas, Finn. ; 

 Drozd-pavtschi, Russ. 



Ad. (England). Axillaries buff, eye-streak indistinct ; bill horn-brown, 

 the lower mandible yellowish at the base ; legs pale brown. Culmen 0'8, 

 wing 4'5, tail 3'3, tarsus 1 '3 inch ; second primary shorter than the sixth. 

 The female is usually smaller and paler : the nestling has the upper parts 

 golden brown striped with bright buff, the under parts washed with golden 

 buff ; axillaries and under wing-coverts golden buff. 



Hob. Europe generally, north to about 60 N. lat., Asia as 

 far east as Lake Baikal, in winter ranging as far south as Persia 

 and Nubia. In Great Britain and Ireland most of those that 

 have nested with us emigrate in autumn, and those that winter 

 with us are increased in number by arrivals from the Continent. 

 In January and February those which have migrated south 

 return to their home and so remain till the following autumn. 



The Song Thrush frequents groves, woods, and gardens, where 

 its clear melodious song is often heard as early as February, or 

 even in January, and late into the summer months. It feeds on 

 worms, snails, and insects of various kinds, and their larvae, and 



