A WINTER BIRD-STUDY. 53 



and when I write, be is half the time perched 

 on the top of my writing tablet, sometimes so 

 closely that I have to pull from under his feet 

 each sheet as I use it. When I hold his meat, 

 he snatches at the piece, tries to draw it away 

 from me, and seizes every bit from the scissors 

 as I cut it. 



This thrush, being a ground bird, is fond of 

 the floor. His favorite place is under the rock- 

 ing-chair in which I sit, where he spends the 

 greater part of the time between his frequent 

 meals. At first I dared not move for fear of 

 hurting him, but finding that he was never off 

 his guard, I have gradually become perfectly in- 

 different as to his whereabouts, and rock and 

 move as I choose. Under the bed is another 

 chosen retreat. 



The number and variety of attitudes a bird 

 will assume are extremely interesting to ob- 

 serve. Every emotion is plainly expressed, not 

 by the face as in the human family, but by the 

 whole body. Feeling mere curiosity and inter- 

 est in anything, he stands up perfectly erect 

 with tail nearly touching the ground, a most 

 beautiful attitude for a thrush. In surprise the 

 feathers on top of his head gradually rise, and 

 with the light circle defining his eye he looks 

 as though transfixed with horror. I have 

 spoken of the expression of legs ; it is aston- 



