MIMOCICHLA RUBRIPES (Temm.). 
CUBAN GREY THRUSH. 
Turdus rubripes, Temm. РІ. Col. ii. pl. 409 (1826). 
Mimus rubripes, Bp. Сопвр. 1. p. 276 (1850). 
Galeoscoptes rubripes, Cab. Mus. Hein. Th. i. p. 82 (1850); Sclater, P. Z. S. 1859, p. 336. 
Mimocichia rubripes, Sclater, Cat. Amer. B. p. 6 (1862); Baird, Rev. Amer. B. p. 38 (1864); 
Gundl. J. f. O. 1872, p. 196; Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 283 ; Cory, List B. West 
Ind. i. p. 5 (1885); id. В. W. Ind. p. 19 (1889); id. Cat. West-Indian B. p. 122 (1892). 
M. gutture nigro : abdomine diluté castaneo vel cinnamomeo. 
Tms species was, until recently, supposed to be confined to the island of Cuba, but Professor 
Ridgway recorded in 1887 the discovery of the bird on Swan Island, where Mr. C. H. Townsend 
procured a series of specimens. These Dr. Ridgway could not separate from Cuban examples, 
“after the most careful examination" (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. x. p. 575, 1887). Dr. Bryant has 
mentioned the present species as having occurred on the Bahamas, but Mr. Cory doubts the 
correctness of this record. 
Dr. Gundlach (J. f. O. 1872, p. 406) says that in Cuba this Thrush is known as the “ Zorzal 
real" or the “ Zorzal de patas coloradas.” It inhabits the woods and tree-gardens and the coffee and 
“ Pisang” fields, its food consisting of fruits, berries, small seeds, and insects. Its flesh is much 
appreciated. It runs on the ground with its tail uplifted, and scratches for its food among the 
fallen leaves. When sitting on a branch it continues to move its tail and wings, and its motions are 
graceful. In the nesting-season it sings а kind of song, which consists of disjointed but diversified 
notes; then it generally sits on a bare branch or on a naked bough at a good height. Besides its 
call-note, it has a peculiar cry which it utters when excited, or when startled or quarrelsome, and 
it likewise emits some sweet and soft-sounding notes when it calls to the female. The flight 
is rapid, but not sustained for long, as the wings are not very powerful. The breeding-season 
commences in April and continues till June. The nest is made of grass and dry leaves, the interior 
being lined with horsehair and other hair, wool from plants, and feathers, &c. It is variously 
situated, and found at different heights, either between deeply forked branches in creepers, in the 
depressions of horizontal boughs or in holes in the latter, or in the stems of palms when they are 
open at the side. 
The eggs are described by Dr. Gundlach (J. f. O. 1857, р. 147 ):—* Of a light greenish colour, 
like pale examples of the eggs of Turdus lividus, and very thickly spotted, in the first instance with 
reddish and violet-grey, then clearer and darker reddish-brown, forming a zone near the base. Тһе 
spots are of large and small size, mottled and crowded together, so as to leave the ground-colour 
somewhat clear near the large end of the egg. In the large series of my Thrushes' eggs, I have none 
resembling these, as those of T. merula, T. torquatus, and T. pilaris have a much darker ground-colour 
and not such pretty or clear-coloured spots. The texture of the shell is intermediate between that of 
T. lividus and T. rufiventris and has, moreover, fine but deep pores." 
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