BLUE THRUSH. 201 



melancholy, and plaintive note, giving an additional 

 charm to the picturesque and beautiful scenery it fre- 

 quents. It is a shy bird. It builds in the crevices of 

 rocks, on church towers, ruins of mountain castles, and 

 other high buildings. Its nest is of considerable size, 

 formed of grass and straw, like a shallow bowl, and 

 bound together with bents and fibres of roots. 



In the beginning of May it lays five oval shining 

 greenish blue eggs, having upon them faint spots of 

 violet grey, over which are reddish or red brown 

 markings. Some are also unspotted. They differ from 

 P. saxatilis in being larger, of a paler colour, and in 

 the much clearer spot markings. — Brehm, in Badeker's 

 European Eggs. 



Count Von der Muhle, in his "Grecian Ornithology," 

 remarks of this bird: — "It is very plentiful on the 

 rocky hills of the Morea, and in the islands. In its 

 habits and song it has a great resemblance to the 

 Stonechats. In summer it frequents steep rocky places, 

 but in the latter part of autumn it comes plentifully 

 into the towns, where it may be observed on the 

 topmost ridges of the houses, singing and looking out 

 for food. It is wary, and carefully avoids all traps. 

 The nest is very difficult to find. I once was shewn 

 one built on the Cratcegus pyracantha, or, as it is 

 commonly called, 'Moses in the Burning Bush.' The 

 nest was built simply of grass, and the young were 

 brought up, tamed, and sold in Turkey." 



In plumage the male and female differ considerably. 

 The adult male has the whole of the upper surface of 

 a deep greyish blue, many of the feathers margined 

 with grey. Wings and tail black, with the wing 

 coverts clear, and the tail quills bordered with obscure 

 blue. The under parts light blue, with obscure narrow 



