Mr. Reginald Phillipps,



1S2



it even in my little aviary ; it still further, and with much

success, seeks to avoid being detected by skilfully manceuvering

so as to place every available bush or tree between you and it.

Probably it is from its customary habit of seeking concealment

on the ground at the approach ot man that it has unfairly

earned the reputation of being a ground bird. Occasionally,

but I think rarely, it will hide itself away in the hollow of a

tree at a considerable height from the ground.


I have been asked—Is this species a true Thrush? The

question is not an unnatural one when one remembers that genera

so diverse as Myiophoticus and Ciiiclosoma are called Thrushes,

even at our Natural History Museum where the latter is or was,

to make confusion worse confounded, labelled “Ground-Thrush.”

In our last number, at page 151,1 made some remarks on this

point. Names almost cease to be of value when used with

such want of care. What object is gained by such lack of

preciseness ! ! ! So far as the subject of this article is concerned,

it is a true Thrush. And I will discriminate and add that, in

some of its habits ways and temper, it is more of a Robin than

a Thrush. Although so truly Thrush-like, the bird of our

illustration may in many respects be regarded as a great over¬

grown (and overfed) cock Robin.


It has been suggested, probably from a superficial

similarity in the colouring of the two males in summer plumage,

that this species 111a} 7 be akin to the Pied Rock-Thrush, Monti-

cola saxatilis. But this is not the case. In their habits and

general movements the two birds differ greatly. And especially

do they differ in the peculiarity that the Pied Rock-Thrush has a

very marked and conspicuous summer nuptial plumage which is

obtained by a direct spring moult of the small feathers, whilst

the White-throated Ground-Thrush follows the general rule of

the Turdidce and has but the usual autumnal moult.


As quoted above, Jerdou refers to the Pittas as Ground-

Thrushes; and he places the Pittas in somewhat close proximity

to the true Thrushes, I11 my birdroom it is a common thing to

see a Pitta * and one of these White-throated Ground-Thrushes



Pitta braehylira: —Avie. ,1 tag. VIII., p. 179.



