on the White-throated Ground-Thrush. 185


birds were very timid. They were not afraid of me but of one

another and of the other birds : of me and my bird-woman they

took no notice. When loosed into the birdroom and aviary I

would find them crouching, always on the ground, in all kinds of

holes and corners, trusting to their protective colouring for con¬

cealment—crouching low, parallel with the ground, hiding the

more brilliant underparts. When on the wing, they would fly

rapidly for a short distance and then drop quickly and suddenly

into the covert. But this timidity passed away; and for a long

time they have been going their own ways, neither interfering

with other birds nor being interfered with by them—but there

are no other true Thrushes in the place.


In their general habits, they are very like our Song

Thrush with a touch of the Blackbird, but in many ways still

more like our Redbreast. Some of the ordinary call-notes have

distinct affinity with those of the Song Thrush. Although a

great deal on the ground and in low bushes, they are often on the

higher perches. They prefer to roost on thin natural twigs,

sometimes about 3ft.—4ft. from the ground, very often on the

highest available spot. Like Robins, each has his particular

sphere of influence. Tim reigns in the birdroom, rarely

venturing more than a yard or so into the garden. Tom reigns

in the garden, and woe did betide poor Tim if, tempted out on a

bright summer day, he ventured too far—Tom was after him in a

moment. During cold weather, when I endeavoured to drive

Tom into the birdroom for the night, he sometimes would not be

driven in, and I often had to net and carry him in. When

driven in, I used to find Tim just inside, with head down

bristling feathers and arched back, like the weaker dog trying to

intimidate the stronger, and Tom tight and with head high in

air and bill pointing to the ceiling, sometimes with quivering

wing, ready to give chase the moment Tim might take to

flight.


My reason for referring to this state of affairs in the past

tense is not because the two birds are dead or have ceased to be

in my possession ; it is because during the last two months or so

a slight change seems to have come over them. Tim, the house

bird, has been more assertive. If not too cold, he spends much



