5 I O PASSERIFORMES 



is usually moderate, being particularly strong in Geocichla, Neso- 

 cicMa, Zoothera, and Turnagra ; in Saxicola, Erithacus, and Daulias 

 it is at once slender and elongated. Generally the anterior scales 

 are fused together, forming an ocreated covering (p. 10), but the 

 opposite sometimes occurs, as in Accentor, Nesocichla, and Tham- 

 nobia. Typically the wing is fairly long and broad, with abbreviated 

 outer primary, the next feather being emarginated in some species 

 of Myrmccociclila ; but in Dr. Sharpe's group Thamnobiae,i it is 

 generally abbreviated and more rounded, in Sialia it is pointed. 

 The tail may be long and wide, as in Turnagra, or comparatively 

 short, as in Monticola and Pratincola, but is usually of medium 

 length ; it is normally square or rounded, though emarginated in 

 Sialia, and much graduated in Copsychus and Cittocincla, while in 

 Cossypha natalensis it has pointed feathers. Turdus (Geocichla) 

 varius, T. horsfieldi, and T. hancii have fourteen rectrices. 



The coloration is ordinarily plain black or brown, more or 

 less varied with grey, white, rufous, or chestnut, occasionally in 

 the form of a collar ; many Thrushes, moreover, exhibit the charac- 

 teristic white breast spotted with brown. The bill is frequently 

 orange or yellow. As examples of the genus Turdus we may take 

 our native Blackbird, Mistletoe- and Song-Thrushes T. merula, 

 T. viscivorus, and T. musicus ; our summer visitor the Eing-Ousel, 

 T. torquatus ; our winter immigrants the Eedwing and Fieldfare, 

 T. iliacus and T. pilaris ; the American " Eobin," T. migratorius ; 

 and the Ground-Thrushes {" GeocicJila,")-with. their light patch under 

 the wing. The sexes are commonly alike, but black or grey males 

 have usually brownish females. A bushy crest occurs in Catharus. 



Of some ten Eock-Thrushes {Monticola), M. saxatilis occurs 

 exceptionally in Britain. It has a cobalt and blackish-blue head, 

 neck, and upper back, a nearly white mid-back, brown remiges, 

 chestnut lateral rectrices and lower surface. M. cyanus is almost 

 entirely blue. The browner hens are generally spotted and barred 

 below. Cochoa viridis is green and black, with blue-green under 

 parts, and blue on the head, tail, and wings ; C. purpurea has 

 the bright colours replaced by purplish-brown and lavender ; C. 

 azurea is mainly rich blue, becoming purple below. The females 

 are duller. Blue-birds (Sialia) are bright blue, often with chest- 

 nut breast or back, the males being the most brilliant ; Grandala 

 caelicolor is indigo, with blackish wings and tail. 



' Placed under the Timeliidae in Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. vii. 1883, p. ix. 



