214 



British Cage Birds. 



is most congenial and summer-like. The Isle of Wight is 

 one of their favourite retreats, and also many parts of Hamp- 

 shire, and the southern parts of Devon. The Song Thrush is 

 common throughout Europe, and is of a robust constitution and 

 lively disposition. Its commences its brilliant and sonorous 

 song almost as early in the year as the Blackbird, and has, on 

 rare occasions, been heard in January ; like that bird, it sings 

 early in the morning and late in the evening, but, unlike 

 him, sings at all hours of the day, and with the greatest 

 zest during the pairing season. These birds are seldom seen 

 together in numbers, excepting in the migratory season, but 

 keep together in couples, or in small companies of three or 

 four. They inhabit gardens, orchards, plantations, and cop- 

 pices, as well as hedgerows in fields and lanes, and the sides 

 of hills where furze is plentiful, or dense undergrowth. 

 They, as well as their congeners, the Blackbirds, appear to 

 have the bump of locality rather largely developed, and 

 usually find their way back to the place of their birth, or 

 in close proximity thereto ; and it will be noticed, that a 

 Song Thrush will sing from the same spot year by year, not 

 only selecting the same tree, but mostly the identical branch, 

 from which to pour forth its flood of music. 



The Song Thrush usually commences to breed very early, 

 sometimes as soon as the latter end of February, and generally 

 builds its nest in hedgerows, in gardens, in plantations, 

 among dense underwood, in bramble bushes, in orchards, 

 in gentlemen's pleasure grounds, or similar places. Some- 

 times it selects an apple or cherry tree, in an orchard 

 attached to a farmstead, or a bush or shrub at the edge 

 of a lawn, or running brook. Some birds select well-sheltered 

 places, whilst others build their nests quite openly, and with 

 no attempt at concealment. 



The Song Thrush usually builds its nest rather low down, and 

 never very far from the ground. It has three, and sometimes, 

 but very rarely, four nests in a season. The nest is large, and 

 composed of fine, soft, green moss, interwoven with withered 

 grass ; sometimes with fine small twigs, or root fibre and leaves. 

 The inside of the nest is plastered out with loam and clay, 

 or cows' dung, when more readily procurable. The hen 

 lays from four to six eggs — mostly four or five — of a slightly 

 greenish blue colour, speckled with a few small black spots. 



