200 BLUE THRUSH. 



Specific Characters. — The two middle feathers of the tail longer 

 than the rest. Ground of the plumage blue or bluish. Length 

 eight inches and a half. 



Temmtnck placed the two European Rock Thrushes 

 in what he called the Saxicoles — the second division 

 or section of his genus Tardus — in consequence of their 

 affinity to the Wheatears and Stonechats. They differ, 

 however, from these latter in having the beak of the 

 true Thrushes. On the other hand they are more 

 solitary in their habits, they never emigrate in flocks, 

 and, although not exclusively insectivorous, they are 

 much more so than the Thrushes, properly so called. 

 In the present notice, therefore, I shall follow the example 

 of Gould, Keyserling, and Blasius, and Degland, and 

 place the Blue Thrush in the genus Petrocincla of 

 Vigors, with which family, as observed by Mr. Gould, 

 it is evidently the connecting link. Prince Bona- 

 parte has adopted the arrangement of Boie, who 

 formed a 'separate genus, Petrocossyplius, for this bird, 

 under which name it is alluded to by Captain Loche 

 as inhabiting the highest regions of Algeria. 



The Blue Thrush inhabits the south of France, 

 Spain, Sardinia, the Levant, and Italy. It is also 

 found in the Morea; it is abundant in the valleys of 

 Piedmont, less common in Switzerland and the Tyrol, 

 still rarer in the Vosges, and abundant in the Appenines. 

 It is spread over Greece, and ranges, according to 

 Brehm, in parts of Asia, and the northern parts of 

 Africa. 



In its habits this bird is solitary, rarely perching 

 on trees. It is found among retired ruins and wild 

 unfrequented rocks and caverns, where, seated upon 

 the highest point it can find, it sends forth its sweet, 



