THE BIRDS. 



551 



The song thrush sings from November till August. It is one of 



our most joyous songsters, beginning to sing early in the morning 



and continuing till late at night. The poet Browning, speaking of 



this bird, says — 



"The wise thrush 

 . . . sings each song twice over, 

 Lest you should think he never could recapture 

 The first fine careless rapture." 



Fig. 1191. — Redwing, Jth nat. size. 





Fig. 1192.— Song Thrush, Jth nat. size. 



The thrush builds constantly in my garden, and in early spring 

 prefers the Cedrus deodara, or some other evergreen tree. It 

 always lines its nest with mud, and thus differs from the blackbird— 



" The ouzel-cock, so black of hue. 

 With orange-tawny bill" (.ShakSPEARE)— 



which first lines its nest with mud, and over this places dried grass. 

 The poet Burns highly appreciated the note of this bird in January, 

 and who does not, when the sun shines on the snowdrop .' 



" Sing on, sweet thrush, upon the leafless bough ! 

 Sing on, sweet bird ! I listen to thy strain ; 

 See, aged Winter, 'mid his surly reign. 

 At thy blithe carol clears his furrow'd brow."— Burns. 



The blackbird has a far softer and more melodious note than the 

 thrush, but the note of the latter bird is more powerful and his song 

 more constant. Together they form a delightful harmony, but they 

 more commonly sing alone than together. This country would be 



