FERRUGINOUS THRUSH. 85 



kind of devotional ecstasy, as a morning hymn to the Great and 

 most adorable Creator of all. The human being who, amidst such 

 scenes, and in such seasons of rural serenity and delight, can pass 

 them with cold indifference, and even contempt, I sincerely pity; 

 for abject must that heart be and callous those feelings, and de- 

 praved that taste, which neither the charms of nature, nor the 

 melody of innocence, nor the voice of gratitude or devotion can 

 reach. 



This bird inhabits North America from Canada to the point 

 of Florida. They are easily reared, and become very familiar when 

 kept in cages ; and tho this is rarely done, yet I have known a few 

 instances where they sung in confinement with as much energy as 

 in their native woods. They ought frequently to have earth and 

 gravel thrown in to them, and have plenty of water to bathe in. 



The Ferruginous Thrush is eleven inches and a half long, and 

 thirteen in extent; the whole upper parts are of a bright reddish 

 brown; wings crossed with two bars of white, relieved with black; 

 tips and inner vanes of the wings dusky; tail very long, rounded 

 at the end, broad, and of the same reddish brown as the back; 

 whole lower parts yellowish white ; the breast, and sides under the 

 wings, beautifully marked with long pointed spots of black, run- 

 ning in chains ; chin white ; bill very long and stovit, not notched, 

 the upper mandible overhanging the lower a little, and beset with 

 strong bristles at the base, black above, and whitish below near 

 the base; legs remarkably strong and of a dusky clay color; iris 

 of the eye brilliant yellow. The female may be distinguished from 

 the male by the white on the wing being much narrower, and the 

 spots on the bi-east less. In other respects their plumage is nearly 

 alike. 



Concerning the sagacity and reasoning faculty of this bird, my 

 venerable friend Mr. Bartram writes me as follows : " I remember 

 to have reared one of these birds from the nest ; which when full 

 " grown became very tame and docile. I frequently let him out of 



VOL. II. t 



