290 IXSECTIVOILE. 



breeding, or even singing in this country. Bullock mentions 

 their breeding in the island of Harris ; but that is out of the 

 line of their ordinary migration ; and though it may be true 

 in the instance which he gives, it is certainly not true as a 

 general feature of the ornithology of that island. The song 

 of the red-wing is not known there, any more than it is on 

 the coast of Northumberland or East York ; but where any 

 singing-bird breeds regularly, its song is sure to be known, 

 not to naturalists merely, but also to*the country people. 



Such are a few remarks on the thrushes a well defined 

 and a very interesting family of birds, whether they remain 

 permanently with us, come only in the summer, or take their 

 fate along with our field birds during the dreary and tem- 

 pestuous season. 



CHATS (Saxicola). 



Though the chats have the general characters of birds of 

 the insectivorous order, yet their particular characters, and also 

 their habits and haunts, are so well marked and distinct, 

 that they form a very convenient and well-defined group. 

 Their bills are straight, with a slight keel on the upper part, 

 which runs into the line of the forehead, and the upper man- 

 dible is margined, and slightly bent at the tip. The bill is 

 wide at the base, partaking there a little of the character of 

 that of those birds which hawk for insects on the wing. The 

 tarsi are long, and the feet well adapted for running ; but 

 the toes are not so much extended as in those birds which 

 walk upon very soft ground, or the hinder claws so much as 

 in birds which tread upon soft and thick herbage. The wings 

 axe of moderate length and light, the coverts not lying so 

 far over the quills as in many other birds, so that they are 

 not very well fitted for lofty and prolonged flights. 



Their habits agree with the peculiarities of their structure ; 

 they dwell in the wilds, nestle under stones and bushes, fly 



