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Genus ERITHACUS. 



Motacilla apud Linnaeus, Syst. Nat. i. p. 337 (1766). 



Sylvia apud Scopoli, Ann. I. Hist. Nat. p. 156 (1769). 



Erythacus apud Cuvier, Leg. dAn. Comp. tab. ii. (1800). 



Curruca apud Leach, Syst. Cat. M. & B. Brit. Mus. p. 25 (1816). 



Ficedula apud Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 553. 



Dandalus apud Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 972. 



Rubecula apud C. L. Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 360 (1831). 



Mondella apud Rennie, in White's Hist, of Selborne, p. 437 (1833). 



Lusciola apud Keyserling & Blasius, Wirbelth. Eur. p. 58 (1840). 



This small group, all the species belonging to which have the breast red in both sexes, inhabits 

 the Palsearctic Region only, one species being found in Europe, one in Persia, and one in Japan. 



In habits the Redbreasts assimilate closely to the true Thrushes ; but they are also nearly 

 related to the Bluethroats. They frequent woods, groves, and gardens, and are fond of inhabited 

 places, showing but little fear of man. Like their allies they are chiefly insectivorous and 

 obtain their food chiefly on the ground, where they hop with depressed wings, the tail being 

 held horizontal. They are very sweet songsters ; and their song may be heard in fine weather at 

 most seasons of the year. They build a tolerably large cup-shaped nest, which they .place on 

 the ground, and deposit five or six reddish white eggs freckled with dark red. Their flight is 

 short, direct, and rapid. 



Erithacus rubecula, which is the type of the genus, has the bill formed much like that of 

 a Thrush, narrow and depressed at the base, inflected towards the point, .slightly but distinctly 

 notched ; mouth narrow, the basirostral bristles tolerably long ; wings rounded, consisting of 

 eighteen quills, the first about half as long as the second, the fourth longest ; legs rather long, 

 the tarsus with a long undivided piece and three inferior scutellse ; outer toe rather longer than 

 the inner, and united at its base to the middle ; plumage soft, blended ; tail moderately 

 long, nearly even, slightly decurved. 



