17 



15 



question ; but to do so it would suffice if the naturalists of every country were closely to question 

 the children of their district on the subject, as unfortunately there are very few countries where 

 boys do not take a delight in pillaging the nests of the feathered creation, a proceeding which is 

 of no profit to any one, but is a great detriment to agriculture." 



A series of the eggs of this Thrush in Dresser's collection vary in size from 1^% by f § inch to 

 I40 by f-§, and are dull brownish olive, or reddish grey in colour, covered with pale purplish 

 brown underlying shell-spots, and dark reddish brown surface-blotches, which are generally 

 distributed over the surface of the egg. Dr. E. Rey sends us word that the " average dimensions 

 of fifty-six eggs in his collection are 29-5 by 22 - 2, the largest measuring 31*4 by 22*6, and the 

 smallest 28*1 by 21*0 millimetres respectively; the number of eggs is generally five, sometimes 

 four, and the time of breeding from the 9th of April to the 12th of July." 



The description of the male is taken from a beautiful specimen in Lord Walden's collection, 

 shot near Cookham, in Berkshire, on the 5th of October 1867, that of the young being taken 

 from a specimen procured at Hampstead in July 1871. The figures are drawn from specimens 

 in our own collection, the old bird being from the neighbourhood of Stockholm, obtained there 

 by Professor Sundevall on the 20th of February 1862. It is by no means so bright an example 

 as could have been selected, but is an average specimen selected from a number of individuals. 

 The young bird figured is from a Russian specimen in Dresser's collection, and has been chosen 

 in order to show the bird before it quite gams its adult dress. The spotted nature of the very 

 young bird is well known, and has been often illustrated. 



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



E Mus. Sharpe and Dresser, 

 a. Stockholm, February 20th, 1862 (C. J. Sundevall). b. Christiania, April 21st, 1866 (R. Collett). c. Near 

 London, July 1st, 1871 (H. J. Burton), d. Saxony (TV. Schliiter). e. Turin, September 10th, 1870 (E. 

 Turati). f. R. Volga (F. Moeschler). g. Mussoorie (TV. G. Brooks). 



E Mus. II. E. Dresser. 



a. Cookham, Berks, December 10th, 1867 (R. B. Sharpe). b. Hampstead, near London, July 20th, 1869 

 (C. Davy), c, d. Russia (Dr. Renard). e. Asia Minor, October 1865 (T. Robson). f. Smyrna, g. 

 Himalayas, h. Simla, February 12th, 1865 (C. H. T. Marshall), i. N.-W. India (C. H. T. Marshall). 



E Mus. Lord Walden. 

 a. Cookham, Berks, October 5th, 1867 (TV. Briggs). b. Ortakeuy Hills, Turkey, November 2nd, 1864 (T. 

 Robson). c. Cashmere (T. C. Jerdon). d. Pangi, N.-W. Himalayas, e. Fagoo, near Simla, August 

 1866 (R. C. Beavan). 



E Mus. J. H. Gumey, jun. 

 a, b, c. Near London (H. J. Burton), d, e. Norwich (Gunn). f. Castle Eden, Durham, May 16th, 1866 

 (J.H.G.). g. Greatham, Durham, April 12th, 1866 (J. H. G.). h. St. Petersburg, September 25th, 

 1869 (J. H. G.). 



E Mus. II. B. Tristram, 

 a. Greatham, Durham, March 1867 (H. B. T.). b. Asia Minor, November 27th, 1864 (71 Robson). c, d. 

 Mussoorie, September 1869 (TV. G. Brooks). 



