2 BRITISH BIRDS. 



whitish, boldly marked with large spots of dusky-brown ; 

 throat with a yellowish tinge, and marked with smaller 

 arrow-shaped spots ; under wing-coverts white ; bill 

 dark brown, yellowish at lower base ; iris hazel ; tarsi 

 yellowish-brown; claws dusky. Length iroo. Female 

 scarcely differs. Young, after first moult, have lower 

 parts tinged with yellowish buff, while upper wing-coverts 

 are noticeably tipped with white. 



Common throughout Great Britain, north to Hebrides. 

 In Ireland now breeds in every county, although seem- 

 ingly unknown there 100 years ago. Song loud and not 

 possessed of much variety ; usually commenced in 

 January. On the wing may be distinguished by its large 

 size, irregular and rapid flight, and loud harsh " churring " 

 note. Food : mountain-ash, holly and hawthorn berries, 

 also insects, snails, etc., upon which young are fed ; rather 

 partial to fruit. Nest : usually in forks of trees in woods 

 or orchards ; sometimes upon small branches against 

 trunk ; height varies from 10 to 30 feet ; once I found it 

 8 feet up in a hedge ; composed of small twigs, grass- 

 stalks, lichens, paper, etc., plastered with mud and lined 

 with much dry grass. Eggs : 3 to 5 ; varying from greenish 

 to reddish-white, with spots and blotches of reddish- 

 brown, and underlying lilac markings ; size 1*30 by *86. 



2. Turdus musieus, Linn. SONG-THRUSH. 



Hab. Europe (except extreme south) and Asia, east to 

 Pacific, north to about 60 N. lat. ; in Norway to 70 N. 

 In winter reaches North Africa and Persia. 



Male : above warm olive-brown, wing-coverts being 

 margined with buff; lower parts huffish-white with dark 

 brown streaks and spots ; centre of abdomen white ; 

 under wing-coverts orange buff; bill dark brown, under 

 mandible yellowish at base ; iris hazel ; tarsi pale brown. 



