46 THRUSH. 



27.— SOLITARY THRUSH. 



Turdus solitarius, Ind. Orn.\. 345. Gtn. Lin. i. 834. Husselq. Voy. (Engl. Ed.) p. 26. 



Id. Act.Ups.Y7bQ. p. 21. 

 Passer solitarius, Rait, 66. 4. Will. 140. Gerin. iii, t. 310. 311. 

 Merula solitaria, Bra. ii. 268. Id. 8vo. i. 233. 

 Merle solitaire, Buf. iii. 358. 



Passera solitaria, Olin. Uc. t. p. 14. Klein, p. 67. 8. 

 Solitary Thrush, Gen. St/n. iii. 52. Will. Engl. 191. pi. 36. 37. Shaw's Zool. x. 303. 



Om. Diet. Sf Supp. 



THIS is about the size of the last. Bill brown, bent at the tip ; 

 inside of the mouth yellow ; irides orange ; general colour of the 

 plumage brown ; marked with small whitish spots ; the sides of the 

 head, throat, neck, breast, and upper wing coverts, have a tinge of 

 blue; rump, under tail coverts, and quills plain brown ; the tail 

 blackish ; legs brown. 



The female is brown, without any blue tinge, and the spots, 

 which are most numerous on the breast, are of a dirty yellow ; quills 

 and tail brown. 



This is frequent in France, Italy, the Isles of the Mediterranean 

 and Archipelago, and other parts,* and is not only esteemed for its 

 song, but venerated by most people, who think it almost a sacrilege 

 to take the nest, or kill the bird ; it frequents mountainous and rocky 

 places, is always seen alone, except in breeding time, and makes the 

 nest there, laying five or six eggs ; the young ones are easily brought 

 up, and besides their natural, sweet voice, may be taught to whistle, 

 and articulate words ; are said also not only to sing in the day, when 

 in a cage, but also by candle light, and to live in confinement eight 

 or ten years ; its food is insects, grapes, and other fruits : it is not 



* Hasselquist says, a bird, called Solitaire, is highly esteemed by the Eastern nations, 

 for its song, and that it sells to the Turks, at Constantinople, for two hundred piastres ; 

 that it whistles, and learns to talk. 



