BIRDS OF FLORIDA. 49 



of depravity that I should not expect in such innocent- 

 looking creatures. 



While the doves are feeding, almost invariably a 

 long-billed thrush drops down from a tree, as if curious 

 to know what they are eating; if he comes too close, 

 they raise their wings in such a way that the two upper 

 surfaces meet back to back, thus displaying the beauti- 

 ful rosy tinge beneath. I suppose this is a defensive 

 attitude, but I have never seen them attack anything; 

 and the thrush, which is larger, would scorn to attack- 

 any bird smaller than himself. 



The thrush, satisfied that they are not feeding upon 

 anything which he particularly relishes, takes an acorn 

 and proceeds to pound it on the ground until it is freed 

 from the shell, and then breaks it into dainty bits be- 

 fore swallowing. 



This thrush is a beautiful bird, with fine manners, 

 and a good singer, yet he seems to be a confirmed bach- 

 elor. All winter he has been the sole representative of 

 his species, and now, in spring, when all the other deni- 

 zens of the grove have taken partners, he still remains 

 in single blessedness. 



He must be the bird mentioned by Coues, in his 

 "North American Birds," as the variety of the com- 

 mon brown thrush (Harporhynchus longirostris). The 

 locality of this variety is given as occurring in Mexico 

 to the Kio Grande, but it answers exactly to the de- 

 scription of longirostris. 



During the winter the Florida jay (Aphelocoma flor- 

 4 



