32 THRUSH. 



14.— LESSER ROCK THRUSH. 



Turdus saxatilis, Ind. Om. i. 336. Lin. i. 294. Kram. 360. Scop. i. No. 299. Bor. 



iii. 168. Gerin. iii. t. 296. 

 Lanius infaustus minor, Gm. Lin. i. 310. 25. /3. 

 Merula saxatilis minor, Bris. ii. 240. Id. 8vo. ii. 225. 

 Turdus ruber cyaneo capite, Klein, 67. 8. Frisch,32. 



Stein-rothel, JFiro. Fog. t. 16 ? Gunth. Nest. u. Ey. t. 75. Naturf. xviii. 83. No. 169. 

 Merle de Roche, Buf. iii. 351. pi. 23. (lesser) PI. enl. 562. 

 Lesser Rock-Shrike, Gen. Syn.\. 177. 27. A. Shaw's Zool. x. 266. 



THIS is smaller than the last ; length only seven inches and a 

 quarter ; breadth thirteen inches and a half. Bill one inch long, 

 dusky ; head and neck bluish ash-colour, marked with rufous and 

 brown spots; back and rump bluish, mixed with cinereous blue and 

 rufous ; lower part of the back variegated with white and ash-colour ; 

 under parts from the breast rufous, marked with small spots of brown 

 and white, from the tips of the feathers being of those colours ; upper 

 tail, and under wing coverts plain rufous ; upper wing coverts 

 blackish, spotted with rufous ; quills and two middle tail feathers 

 brown, with rufous edges; all the others rufous; legs dusky. 



Inhabits various parts of Europe. 



It is with great uncertainty that we place this as distinct, since 

 many esteem it a mere Variety of the former ; the material difference 

 seeming to be in the size, and the latter having the lower part of the 

 back white. Authors differ, too, in respect to the manners of both ; 

 some saying it is very shy, while others, that it is a most audacious 

 bird ; but both are said to breed in the crevices of rocks, and to feed 

 on worms, and insects. We are told that it sings freely, and is often 

 preserved in cages for that purpose. 



Both this and the former inhabit India,^ being figured among 

 other curious drawings in the possession of Sir J. Anstruther. 



* Also Ceylon.— View of Hindoost. i. p. 204. 



