THE SONG-THRUSH. 213 



TURDUS MUSICUS. 



THE SONG-THRUSH. 



(Plate 8.) 



Turdiis minor, Bviss. Oni. ii. p. 205 (1760). 



Turdus musicus, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 2'J2 (1766) ; et auctorum plurimorum — ■ 



Latham, Bechsti'ln, Pallas, Temmmck, Naumann, Neivton, Oould, Gray, Sharpe, 



Dresser, &e. 

 Turdus iliacus, Linn. a27ud Bodd. Table PI. Enl. p. 24 (1733). 

 Turdus pilaris, Linn, a^md Bodd. Table PI. Enl. p. 29 (178.3). 

 Sylvia musica {Linn?), Savi, Orn. Tosc. i, p. 211 (1827j. 

 Merula musica (Linn.), Selby, Brit. Orn. i. p. 102 (1833). 

 Iliacus musicus {Linn.), Lies JIurs, Traite d'Ool. p. 292 (1860). 



The Song-Thrush breeds throughout Great Britain and Ireland in all 

 well-cultivated districts, or Tvhere the ground is sufficiently wooded to 

 afford it shelter. In the extreme north of Scotland, although birch trees 

 abound, the bird is rare, but appears to be increasing in numbers. It 

 breeds in the Orkney Islands ; but its nest has not yet been taken in the 

 Shetlands. On the Hebrides, even to the wild isolated rock o£ St. Kilda, 

 the Song-Thrush is found, and in many of the islands it is quite numerous. 

 In Skye it is one of the commonest of land birds, and is sometimes seen 

 far amongst the wide stretches of heath where not a tree or bush is visible. 

 The bird also breeds on the rocky heights of Ailsa Craig, where its only 

 nesting-sites are amongst the rocks and caves. 



The breeding-range of the Song-Thrush extends across the Palsearctic 

 Region from the Atlantic as far east as the valley of the Yenesay and Lake 

 Baikal, but the bird is much commoner in the west than in the east. In 

 Norway, probably in consequence of the influence of the Gulf-stream, it 

 is found up to, and occasionally beyond, the Arctic circle ; but in Siberia 

 it is rarely met with north of lat. 60°. In Southern Europe it breeds very 

 sparingly, and only at higli elevations. In England the Song-Thrush is 

 only a partial migrant ; but on the continent, where the winters are so 

 much colder, it leaves the north, like other summer visitors, and repairs 

 in great numbers to winter in South Europe and North Africa. In the 

 latter continent it has been found wintering as far south as Nubia. The 

 Siberian Song-Thrushes apparently winter in South Persia. 



The home of the Song-Thrush is the woods and hillsides, the banks of 

 streams, and all sheltered places where brushwood abounds. Near dwell- 

 ing-houses the "Throstle" is a common bird, frequenting orchards, 

 gardens, and hedgerows ; in fact, wherever we find the Blackbird we may 



