50 TANAGERS— THRUSHES— BLACKBIRDS. 



denly fxexed at the point ; their nostrils are half closed by a 

 membrane, and covered in a degree by the hairs of the face ; 

 their feet are moderate : all the species belong to South America. 

 The plumage of the male is, in general, adorned with the richest 

 tints of purple and azure ; but these birds are not in all their 

 beauty except in the spring, for during the rest of the year their 

 tints are gray or brown. 



8. The C.iatterers, — Bomhycllla, — have the head ornamented 

 with a toupet of feathers. There is one species, the Bohemian 

 Chatterer, — Ampelis garrulas, — that visits Europe in flocks, at 

 long and irregular intervals, from which circumstance, its presence 

 fDr a long time was considered as an evil omen. It is thought to 

 inhabit the extreme north. The flesh is esteemed a great delicacy. 

 The Cedar Bird, or Cherry Bird, — Bombycilla carolinensis, — 

 is found throughout the American continent. Some of them re- 

 main in Pennsylvania and New Jersey during the winter. 



9. Tlie Tanagers, — Tanagra, — are small birds, remarkable 

 for the most part, for the varied colour of their plumage. They 

 resemble the Finches in their habits, and feed on grain, as well 

 as on berries and insects. The Summer Red Bird, — Tanagra 

 (estiva, — is of a Vermillion red. It passes the greater part of 

 the year in the tropical America. It is met with in the sandy, 

 barren forests of New Jersey, in small numbers. 



10. The Thrush E:;, — Vurdus, — have a moderate beak with a 

 sharp compressed point, but not forming a hook, and having the 

 notches not so deep as in the Shrikes ; they are more frugivorous. 

 It is to be remarked also, that their nostrils are half closed by a 

 naked membrane, and the tarsi are longer than the middle toe. 

 Some remain in the country where they are born ; others travel 

 in numerous flocks. The flesh of most of these birds is much 

 esteemed. 



1 1. We apply the name of Thrushes properly so called to those 

 species in which the colours are miiform or distributed in large 

 masses, and we call those Thrushes in which the plumage is 

 dappled, that is, marked with small black and brown spots. 



1'2. The European Blackbird, — Turdus mervla, — is found in 

 France throughout the year ; the male is entirely black with a 

 yellow beak, and the female is brownish. These birds are the 

 tirst to hail with their songs the return of spring ; heard at a 



8. What are the Cliatterers ? 



9. What are Tanagers? 



10. What are the characters of Thrushes ? 



11. How are the two kinds of Thrushes disting-uished ? 



12. What are the habits of the European Blackbird ? 



