28o



Mr. R. Philupps.



This is an interesting species, but is not so well known as

it might and as it deserves to be. It is true that a few of our

members know it well, and refer to the bird as if they supposed

that all are equally intimate with it. It seems to me, however,

that this is far from being the case ; and I have a suspicion that

if three unnamed coloured plates, respectively, of a good male in

nuptial plumage, of the same bird after the July-August moult,

and of his trim little mate, were published in our Magazine,

barely one of our readers in a score would be able to say either

what species was represented, or if any and what relationship

existed between the three figures. Ret me, therefore, say a few

words about the Pied Rock-Thrush, a not uncommon bird, and

one which has been an inmate of my aviary pretty frequently

since I first invested in some specimens now over sixteen years

ago.


A detailed if not too accurate description of this little

Thrush, which with its congeners connects the Ousels with the

Chats, may be found in almost any work on British Birds,

although only nominally a British species ; so I need but say

that the adult male, in breeding plumage, has the entire head

and neck “ cobalt blue,” or “greyish blue”; a large irregularly

shaped patch of what I will venture to call brilliant white occu¬

pies much of the back region, very conspicuous when the bird

flies or displays ; the tail is chestnut with the two centre feathers

brown ; and “ the whole of the underparts below the neck chest¬

nut.” Bill black. Indeed, a fine healthy male in spring and

early summer is a handsome fellow; and his sprightly gait, his

lively movements, his upright watchful carriage, his chestnut

“ wag” and cheerful warbling notes cannot fail to attract admir¬

ing attention. But he must be supplied with a mate, and plenty

of space in an outdoor aviary, if he is to be seen to the best

advantage.


Rate in June or early in July the adult male falls into

moult, and for a time becomes an ordinary speckled Thrush

more or less like the female. Individuals differ ; at this period, it

may be really difficult to sex one bird while the sex of another

may be determined without hesitation. Some males seem to lose

the white back-patch entirely, while on others it is always more

or less visible ; and they may have as much white on the throat



