Owen, A Captive Hermit Thrush. 



7 



ease, and pruned itself carefully on being released. It bathed 

 regularly, and though it kept its cage in a litter, was scrupulous 

 about its plumage. When taken, its tail feathers had just started. 

 They grew rapidly, and by July 31 had attained their full length. 

 As soon as the appendage had gained sufficient length to be used 

 in gesticulation, the bird accompanied its ' peeping ' cry with 

 flicks of the tail, after the manner of a Robin. Some of its atti- 

 tudes, as it stood with uplifted tail, were very like those of the 

 Catbird. 



In concluding this record it remains to speak of the bird's 

 method of eating earthworms, for it was method, indeed. The 

 bird began by worrying the worm, much as a cat does a mouse, 

 nipping, pecking, and slatting its victim violently. The attack 

 seemed to be directed, mainly, at the extremities of the worm. 

 Thus, in one case, the head of the worm was pecked ten times, 

 the tail seventeen times, and the middle twice. The worm, of 

 course, squirmed and wriggled vigorously, at first ; but, after a 

 time, lost, in a measure, the power of motion. Now and then, the 

 bird's beak would miss the worm, or would shp off. At such times 

 the mandibles came together with an audible snap, conveying a 

 suggestion of the torturing pinches to which the unfortunate worm 

 was being subjected. The pummeUng and nipping having gone 

 on for from one and a half to three and a half minutes, the Thrush 

 would next essay to swallow the worm, beginning, almost invariably, 

 at the tail. This mode of attack may have been prompted by a 

 chivalrous desire to give the poor worm as much of a chance as 

 possible. If so, its object was, in a measure, gained, for, in the 

 case of a big worm, the process of swallowing was distressingly 

 prolonged by the efforts of the worm to escape, in which it often 

 succeeded so far as to crawl out of the bird's mouth almost as 

 fast as it was drawn in. The outcome of the struggle was always 

 in the bird's favor, although in one instance, that I timed, the head 

 •of the worm visibly protruded from the bird's throat for seven 

 minutes and a half after swallowing began. 



The fact that the Thrush swallowed its worms tail first gains 

 something in interest when the structure of the earthworm is taken 

 into account. As is well-known, the earthworm's body consists 

 of from 100 to 200 rings, or segments. Every segment, except the 



Skipping the western types, our eastern Turdus ^'■pallasi" 

 comes next. Nearly all the names of this shy and solitary bird 

 refer to its habit of haunting for the most part the undergrowth 

 of secluded and damp woods. Its small size and distinguishingly 

 reddish tail supply the rest. Following is the list : Hermit or 

 Solitary Thrush; Grive or Merle solitaire (Canada) ; Ground 

 Swamp Robin (Maine) ; Little Swamp Robin and Rufous- 

 tailed Thrush. BnllN.O.O, 8.APU. 1883,p. 73- 



