TURDID.K — TIIH TlJJtU.SlIE.S. ., 



Zi 



Turdus iliacus, r^iNx. 



EEDWINO THETTSH. 



Tunlnxilhcx, Linn. Syst. Nat. Kill, ,.,1. ]7:.,S, KiS, nn,l of Kuropran mitliors. _ Rkiv- 

 iiAiirn, lliis, lS(il, (i((!i(..,.nlau(i). I!aii;i), l!rv. Am. li. ],S(i4, 2;M(iiwiilaii,l). 



Sp. Ciiaii. Tlii.s si)<'(,'i(.s is sinallor timn our Rol.in ( /: mi</nit,>rii,s), hnt uf ,i siiniliir 

 f;ia.vi«li-oliv(! aliovo, iiicliidiiig tlie licml. Tlic under jiiirts arc wliilc; the U.alli.Ts (.f iIk; 

 hwL'v iliroat, ami breast strwikod with l)rown. Tlio sides, axillars, and inn.^r wiii-r-c.vrt' 

 ail! reddish-cinnamon. A eonspicuous white streak over the eye and exiendin"- as far 

 hack as (lie nap.-. Hill hiack, yellow at hase of lower jaw. Lejrs paie-eolonMl. Se(Muid 

 .|nill loM-er than llflh. Len-th, ahout ,S.2.-, ; win- i.lH ; tail, :Ur> ; bill, from -ape, l.O" ; 

 troiii nostril, .41; tarsus. l.K!: middle toe and claw. 1.1."). Specimen de.scrihiHl : 18,7isj 

 g. a lirilisli spc^imen rec<.ived liom (lu' Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich. 



II.VH. (ircenland, in IIk; New World. 



Tlu! ocoiirreiicc of tlii.s voll-kiinwn Eurnpoan specio.s in Greenland brinrrs 

 it witliiii tli(! limits oC tlu« AiiUM'icnii Fauna. Two (JiveiilaiKl spociniens are 

 iVLM.i-ded l.y Dr. Iteinhanlt: om of them sliot at Frederick.sluuil), Octohur ■'■' 

 184r.. 



^ liAiirrs. The lledwin.ir can ]>rolmbly only claim a place in the fauna of 

 Xorth Amcfica a.s an occa.sional visitant. Of the two specimen.s observed 

 in Greenland, one wa.s shot late in October. It is not known to breed there. 

 This si)ecie,s, during its breedino season, is found only in the more northern 

 portions of Kurojie; only occasionally, and very rarely, breeding so far south 

 as England. It makes its ajipearanoe in that kingdom oti its southern niiora- 

 tion,s, coming in large flocks from Nortlu'ru and Xortheastern Europe and 

 arriving usually before the end of October. During tlieir stay in England 

 they freipient parks and pleasure-grounds that are ornamented with clumps 

 of trees. During mild and open weather they seek their subsistence in 

 pasture lands and moist ineadoM-s, feeding principally on worms and snails 

 In severe winters, when tlie ground is closed by frost or covered by snow 

 th.i Uedwings are among the first birds to suffer, and often perish in lar-re 

 numbers. " 



During tlie winter they exten.l (heir migrations to the more southern i.or- 

 li.M.s of Europe, U> Sicily, Malta, and even to Smyrna. In early spring they 

 return to the more central portions of the continent, and leave in May for 

 theii' more northern places of resort. 



They nest in trees in the moist woods of Norway and Sweden. Their 

 nests resemble those of the common Fieldfare, T. pilaris. Tlie outside is 

 tomposed of sticks, w.>eds, and coarse gmss, gathered wet, and matted with a 

 .small quantity of moist clay. Tlu>y are lined witli a thick bed of tine -nuss 

 _ The IJedwing is said to po.s.sess a delightful note, and is called the Xjoht- 

 ii.gale o[ Norway. Linnan.s, speaking of this bird, claims that its hiuh 

 and varied notes rival even those of that far-famed vocalist. 

 During the summer the IJedwing advances to the extreme north, visitin- 



