33 



15 



collections. Herr von Pelzeln writes us that in the Vienna Museum are several light-coloured 

 varieties and partial albinoes, and one pure white specimen. 



Yarrell records the following anecdote : — " Mr. Knapp, in his ' Journal of a Naturalist,' has 

 related an interesting fact in reference to the Thrush in the following terms : — ' We observed 

 this summer two Common Thrushes frequenting the shrubs on the green in our garden. From 

 the slenderness of their forms and the freshness of their plumage, we pronounced them to be 

 birds of the preceding summer. There was an association and friendship between them that 

 called our attention to their actions. One of them seemed ailing, or feeble from some bodily 

 accident ; for though it hopped about, yet it appeared unable to obtain sufficiency of food. Its 

 companion, an active, sprightly bird, would frequently bring it worms or bruised snails, when 

 they mutually partook of the banquet ; and the ailing bird would wait patiently, understand the 

 actions, expect the assistance of the other, and advance from his asylum upon its approach. This 

 procedure was continued for some days; but after a time we missed the fostered bird, which 

 probably died, or by reason of its weakness met with some fatal accident.' " 



Count Salvadori in 1863 communicated to 'The Ibis' the following anecdote respecting a 

 hybrid Thrush: — "In November 1861 I purchased in Florence a living bird which had the 

 appearance of a Thrush, and in size, colour of the bill, legs, feet, and upper parts was quite like 

 a Song-Thrush. The lower parts were almost entirely black, except the edge of each feather, 

 which was of a light colour ; round the neck it had a narrow ring of feathers of a yellowish 

 white ; on the belly were two or three white feathers, spotted with black, like those of the Song- 

 Thrush ; the feathers under the tail were quite white. After a short time the yellowish circle of 

 the neck disappeared. In July of the present year it began to change the feathers of the lower 

 parts, and in September it already resembled very nearly the Song-Thrush, retaining only a few 

 black feathers on the breast, which shortly disappeared. I was in expectation of future changes, 

 when early in October it escaped. It ate chopped meat and the flour of maize. In spring it did 

 not sing ; its zit was like that of the Song-Thrush. I believe it to be a cross of the Song-Thrush 

 and the Blackbird (Turdus merula)." 



In the preparation of the above article we have examined the following specimens : — 



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser. 



a. Hampstead, Middlesex {Davy) . b. Cookham, Berks (J. Ford), c. Beckenham, Kent {Wilson), d. Pagham, 

 Sussex {R. B. S.) . e. Denmark {A. Benzon). f. Piedmont {T. Salvadori) . g, h, i,j, k, I, m. Lombardy 

 {E. Turati). 



E Mus. J. H. Gurney, jun. 



a, b, c, d, e,f, g. Greatham, Durham {J. H. G.). h. Moscow, September 14th, 1869 {J. H. G.). 



E Mus. II. B. Tristram, 

 a. Marsaba, Judaea, January 18th, 1864 {H. B. T.). 



