208 THRUSHES. 



when the workmen left off in the evening, and came 

 again in the morning, they found the female seated 

 in her half-finished mansion, and, when she flew off 

 for a short time, it was found that she had already 

 laid an egg, though the hottom of the nest was the 

 only part plastered and completed, evidently to meet 

 the pressing necessity of the female bird. When all 

 was finished, the cock took his share in the hatching, 

 and, though he did not sit so long, he was very 

 attentive in feeding her when on the nest. In thir- 

 teen days the young birds were out of their shells, 

 which the old ones carried off. It is generally 

 supposed that the usual food for nestling Thrushes 

 consists of grubs and worms, quantities of which 

 they may be constantly seen collecting on lawns, 

 particularly after showers have moistened the earth. 

 And to those who have opportunities of observing 

 them, nothing can be more interesting than the way 

 they, as well as Blackbirds and some other birds, 

 set about it. 



"Watch an old Thrush pounce down on a lawn 

 moistened with dew or rain. At first he stands 

 motionless, apparently thinking of nothing at all, 

 his eye vacant, or with an unmeaning gaze. Sud- 

 denly he cocks his ear on one side, makes a glancing 

 sort of dart with his head and neck, gives perhaps 

 one or two hops, and then stops, again listening 

 attentively, and his eye glistening with attention 

 and animation. His beak almost touches the 

 ground, he draws back his head, as if to make a 

 determined peck. Again he pauses ; listens again ; 

 hops perhaps once or twice, scarcely moving his 

 position, and pecks smartly on the sod ; then is once 



