185 
ёг, 
B chattering cries, almost like those of the Mistle-Thrush, yet uttered more rapidly, and perhaps more 
"m metallic in sound. ; 
kh “One of the first birds, after winter has passed, to cross a twig as the beginning of its nest is 
bd the Song-Thrush. March has scarcely arrived ere we notice the first rude foundation of this 
charming songster's cradle. We find it in every species of evergreen far more frequently than 
amongst the branches of deciduons trees :—in the trailing ivy growing on walls or rocks or up the 
trunks of trees at various heights from the ground; in the dark-mantled yew, the laurel, and, 
perhaps most frequently of all, in the green branches of the holly. Itis also placed on the ground 
on banks, in whitethorn trees and hedgerows, and more rarely оп walls. А favourite situation is 
against the trunk of a tree, upon a bunch of little branches that partially conceal it. Here the bird 
may often be seen sitting close, with tail pointing one way and beak the other, each at the same 
angle to the plane of the nest, and you may pass almost under it or even catch the bird's eye if you 
Mom walk quietly past, without causing it to leave its eggs, The nest is a bulky structure, and composed 
YT outwardly of dry grass, with generally a few twigs and sometimes a little moss. This grass-formed 
LU nest is then lined with a thick coating of mud or clay, and sometimes cow’s dung, with decayed 
тері wood as a final lining. As the Song-Thrush is the only Thrush that lines its nest in this peculiar 
кй manner, a detailed description of the process may not be out of place. Decaying fences and tree- 
mener rcots, or rotten branches torn from the trees by the wintry blasts, are the source from which the bird 
йш} obtains a supply of this material. When her nest has arrived at a certain stage, the hen bird repairs 
disi to this decaying wood for the means of completing her handiwork. She chooses those logs, fences, or 
le atm roots already well saturated with moisture ; or failing to find them in this state, she moistens the wood 
yd in the nearest water. Bit by bit it is conveyed to her nest, and there, by the aid of pressure, she 
moulds it with her body, forming a lining in some instances an eighth of an inch in thickness, and 
which, from the warmth of the sitting bird, soon becomes hard and dry. Nests are, however, met 
with where this lining is very scanty—probably from the scarceness of decaying wood. When 
finished the nest is usually left for a day or so to dry ere the first egg is deposited. Several days are 
employed in its construction, although in rare instances it is begun and finished in a single day. 
к E “ The eggs of the Song-Thrush are four or five in number, and may be readily distinguished 
к from those of апу other species of British bird. "They are of a beautiful clear greenish blue, marked 
with small spots of a deep rich brown approaching to black. Eggs of this bird vary considerably, 
Bo" both in size and markings. Many eggs (doubtless the production of the older birds) are exceptionally 
«а large; others more resemble the Red-wing's in size. Some eggs (though these are rare) are spotless ; 
em others are very richly spotted and blotched with reddish brown and various tints of purplish grey. 
; Eggs that are boldly blotched never have the colouring-matter so intense as those on which the 
шаў markings are small. They vary in length from 1:16 to 0:95 inch, and from 0:9 to 0:7 inch in breadth. 
yi š d “ The Song-Thrush is a very close sitter, often remaining upon her charge until touched by the 
Í = hand of some prying naturalist. Her conduct when disturbed from the nest is similar to that of the 
ЕШ В Mistle-Thrush ; her harsh cries and active motions, with those of her mate, awaken the silent woods, 
ja and speak most plainly of the anxiety of the birds for their treasure. Both birds sit upon the eggs 
ұт” and young, and tend the latter for a short time after they have left the nest. Тһе Song-Thrush 
n je rears two, and occasionally three, broods in the year, a fresh nest in all cases being built for the 
008, á purpose.” 
ober 4 The following is Seebohm's description of the plumages of Turdus musicus in the fifth volume 
jj iP of the ‘Catalogue of Birds ’ (p. 192) :— | 
TL “ Adult male, in autumn plumage. General colour of the upper parts olive-brown ; lores buffish 
г. brown; ear-coverts buff, with black tips; eye-stripe buffish white, very indistinct, and soon losing 
" 4 itself behind the eye; wings brown, with pale ochraceous-hrown margins to the outer webs; median 
j 
