SOLITARY THRUSH. 



473 



ground, where it can look around, and perceive the approach of an 

 enemy ; and when roused it flies slow and heavily. 



We do not recollect that this hardy bird, which braves the winters 

 of the polar regions, has ever been before noticed to breed so far 

 south as Shetland. It has generally been esteemed an arctic species, 

 residing the whole year amongst the glaciers and snowy mountains, 

 where, except the white bear, the arctic fox, the ermine, and the 

 ptarmigan, scarcely any thing living is to be found in the colder 

 months. Mr. Pennant says it is common in Hudson's Bay, in Lapland, 

 and in Norway. In Sweden it is said to prey upon the ptarmigan and 

 alpine hare, whence the Swedish name Harfang. It has been gene- 

 rally supposed that the Snowy Owl changes its plumage with the 

 season, and that the snowy whiteness of its colour, observable in the 

 winter, was thrown off on the approach of the warmer months, in ex- 

 change for that of a mixture of brown and white. From the observa- 

 tions of Mr. Bullock, this is not strictly true, since in the early part of 

 July, this bird was noticed, of a pure white, as far south as the Orknies, 

 in latitude 59°. The female, indeed, was mottled; and possibly the 

 young male birds, for a year or two, may not be pure white, but they 

 may become whiter in their autumnal moulting. 



This noble species rather exceeds the size of the eagle owl, being 

 nearly two feet in length, and sometimes weighing above three pounds. 

 The bill is black ; irides yellow ; the plumage varies from pure white 

 to that of being marked on the head with small brown spots, and with 

 narrow lines of the same, transversely placed on the back, and under 

 the wings on the sides ; the quills are also spotted with brown, as well 

 as the feathers of the tail; the legs and toes are covered with close 

 white feathers ; the claws are black, very large, and much hooked.* 



SOLAN GOOSE. — A name for the Gannet. 



SOLITARY THRUSH {Turdus cyanus, Gmelin.) 



*Turdus cyanus, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 834. sp. 24.— Lath. Syn. 1. p. 345. sp. 60 



Temm. Man. d'Orn. 1. p. 174 — Turdus solitarius et Manillensis, Lath. Syn. 1. 



sp. 61. 832.— Le merle bleu, Buff. Ois. 3. p. 355. t. 24 lb. pi. Enl. 250.— 



Edw. t. 18 Solitaire de Manille, BuffMis. pi. Enl. 564. f. 2 Merle solitaire, 



Gerard. Tab. 61em. Orn. 1. p. 106. — Blue, Solitary, and Pensive Thrush, Lath. 



Syn. 3. p. 51. 2. and 3 — Passera solitaria, Stor. degl. ucc. 3. t. 310 Blaine 



Drossel, Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 1. p. 203— FRM. (Angl.) p. 191. t. 

 36. 37. 



This species is about nine inches in length. The bill is dusky, nine- 

 tenths of an inch long to the feathers on the middle of the forehead, 

 straight, except at the tip, where the upper mandible is a little de- 

 flected, and projects beyond the lower; the base is rather broad, but 

 there is scarcely any appearance of a notch at the end ; the nostrils are 



