IG 
MERUIilD.E, 
These are sometimes sloAvly, sometimes rapidly, pro¬ 
nounced, and the tones so varied as often to appear to 
proceed from several songsters, placed at different distances 
from the listener. We have heard Song Thrushes imitate 
very successfully the beautiful chant of the nightingale. 
The Song Thrush is very generally diffused throughout 
England; and as it does not confine itself to the woods, 
as the missel thrush does, it is more seen and known. It 
is the least shy of the Thrush tribe ; it inhabits and fre¬ 
quents gardens at all seasons, but in winter we have known 
it almost as familiar as the robin, and if care is taken to 
invite it with a little food, will approach close to the windows 
in search of it. One hard winter, observing several thrushes 
in the garden, we collected from some hidden corners, where 
we knew we should not look in vain, a number of common 
garden snails, which we strewed beneath the laurel bushes 
where the snow was scantiest. Our snails were soon discover¬ 
ed by the thrushes, and a convenient stone being selected, 
which the hard frost had glued into the grass-plot, the 
snails were ere long consumed. 
The manner in which birds of this tribe break the shells of 
snails to procure their flesh is, of course, well known ; but 
these thrushes are in habits, as in descent, truly ancient 
Britons, and regularly return to the stone they have chosen 
for their cromlech, on which they sacrifice their victims. 
The Song Thrush is a very early singer, beginning his 
song frequently with the new year. In a “ comparative view 
of seven years,” supplied by a friend, this bird is cited as 
beginning to sing between January the 8rd and February 
the 26th, according to the season. It is also one of the 
earliest in commencing nidification, and usually constructs 
its nest among the branches of a low bush, or in the midst of 
overhanging brambles beside a ditch or bank, and as the 
nest is often placed among deciduous shrubs that have not 
