82 FAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



Throstle, the bird has had a prominent position in the 

 world of poesy from the earliest times. Its beautiful song 

 commences early in January, and is heard throughout the 

 whole year, with the exception of moulting time. 



The Thrush is a fine, handsome bird, with pretty, though 

 somewhat colourless, plumage. The whole upper part is 

 olive brown, somewhat deeper coloured upon the head and 

 neck. The throat is a yellowish-white, partially speckled 

 with dark brown spots ; the breast is pale buff, tinged 

 more darkly on either side, and from the throat down to 

 the thighs flecked with very dark brown triangular spots. 

 The sexes may with difficulty be distinguished, except that 

 the male is possibly smaller, whilst the female has larger 

 spots upon the breast, and not so much buff. As, however, 

 the female is mute, the song supplies an unerring guide. 



Though of some size i.e., 8J inches in length this 

 bird does not walk, but when upon the ground proceeds 

 with a series of leaps or hops ; the flight, however, is 

 rapid, and capable of being sustained for a considerable 

 distance; yet the Thrush is only a partially migratory 

 bird, most individuals remaining with us throughout the 

 winter. At that season, however, a considerable migration 

 appears to arrive from the north, possibly driven south by 

 snow or hard weather. 



It is seldom that more than a pair of Thrashes are seen 

 together, except at the period of their forced migration in 

 winter; and even then their numbers never attain to the 

 extent of the flocks of Fieldfares. 



The general abode of these birds is in the neighbour- 

 hood of gardens, plantations, hedgerows, and thickets ; yet 

 there is little limit to their choice, sometimes living in well- 

 watered valleys, and again among furze and thickets upon 



