474 



SOLITARY THRUSH. 



placed at the base of the bill, and are partly covered by the feathers, 

 which come rather more forward on the sides than on the ridge of the 

 bill. The general colour of the plumage is brown, the upper part and 

 sides of the head, back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail coverts plain, 

 except the tips of the feathers on the back being paler, giving that part a 

 slightly spotted appearance ; the chin is sullied white ; above and be- 

 hind the eyes the feathers are paler than those adjacent : from the bill 

 to the eye dusky; the feathers on the throat and neck beneath are 

 pale yellowish-brown at their tips, whitish at their base, which gives 

 that part a mottled appearance : the upper part of the breast plain 

 brown, but rather paler than the back ; the sides under the wings nearly 

 the same ; the lower breast and belly down to the vent mottled or 

 streaked with brown and white, the middle of the feathers being of 

 the former colour ; the under tail coverts pale brown, with a rufous 

 tinge ; the quills and greater coverts of the wings are brown, margined 

 with rufous ; the tail is a little forked, the feathers are brown, their 

 margins tinged with rufous ; the legs are rather long in proportion, 

 strong, and with the toes and claws of a yellowish-brown colour; the 

 middle toe is closely connected to the outer as far as the first joint. It 

 is an elegant bird, not quite so large in the body, but as long as the 

 throstle. The head is remarkably small, and the crown almost straight 

 with the bill, there being scarcely any elevation on the forehead, but 

 formed like that of the stare ; this shape, together with a straight and 

 proportionably long bill, gives the head a lengthened appearance ; the 

 legs are remarkably strong in proportion to the bulk of the bird, being 

 larger than those of the throstle ; the vibrissa^ or bristles, between the 

 base of the bill and the eye, are black, but short, and not very conspi- 

 cuous : the mouth is large, and opens as far back nearly as the hinder 

 part of the eye. The bird here described was shot about the middle 

 of June, 1810, at Copgrove, in Yorkshire. 



The Solitary Thrush is described as common in France, Italy, and 

 in the islands of the Mediterranean and Archipelago ; and yet neither 

 Buffbn nor Brisson appear to have given a figure of it. It is said to 

 frequent mountainous and rocky places, and to be always seen alone, 

 except in the breeding season. Like the stare, it prepares its nest 

 in old ruined edifices, church towers, and other similar places, and 

 lays five or six eggs ; but two nests are never found near the same 

 place. The young are easily brought up, and repay the trouble by 

 their sweet native song ; they may be also taught to whistle, and articu- 

 late words. When confined, this species sings as well by candle-light 

 as by day. Its food is principally insects, grapes, and other fruit. It 



