The Song Thrush. 2 1 



the low, spreading branches, close to the stem. Though the 

 structure is so solid and substantial, yet it is built very rapidly ; 

 indeed, the thrush seems to be wide awake in all its movements 5 

 he is no loiterer, and does his work well. As a proof of his 

 expedition I will mention that a pair of these birds began to 

 build a second, perhaps, indeed, it might be a third nest, on a 

 Thursday, June 15 ; on Friday afternoon the nest was finished, 

 and on Saturday morning the first egg was laid, though the 

 interior plastering was not then dry. On the 21st the hen 

 began to sit, and on the 17th of July the young birds were 

 hatched. 



The frame-work, so to speak, of the nest is composed of twigs, 

 roots, grasses, and moss, the two latter being brought to the 

 outside. Inside it is lined with a thin plastering of mud, cow- 

 dung, and rotten wood, which is laid on quite smoothly, almost 

 like the glaze on earthenware ; nor is there an internal covering 

 between this and the eggs. The circular form of the nest is as 

 perfect as a bowl shaped upon a lathe, and often contracts in- 

 wards at the top. The eggs, which are generally five in 

 number, are of a bright blue-green, spotted over with brownish- 

 black, these spots being more numerous at the larger end. 



The food of the thrush is mostly of an animal character, as 

 worms, slugs, and snails ; and, by seasides, small molluscs, as 

 whelks and periwinkles. On all such as are enclosed in shells 

 he exercises his ingenuity in a remarkable way. We ourselves 

 lived at one time in an old house standing in an old garden 

 where were many ancient trees and out-buildings, in the old 

 ivied roots and walls of which congregated great quantities of 

 shell-snails. One portion of this garden, which enclosed an old. 



