SONG THRUSH 
5 
or alarmed about the nest, the bird dashes rapidly 
round the intruder, uttering its harsh, grating 
alarm-note, and will even beat off marauding cats 
or larger egg-stealing birds. 
SONG THRUSH. 
(jTurdus musicus.) 
Throstle, Mavis, Greybird. — The Song Thrush 
is almost the best-known and most widely dis- 
tributed of ail our British birds, and if we take 
into account its persistence in singing as well as 
the beauty of its song, it perhaps deserves the first 
place among British songsters. The only time of 
year when the Song Thrush does not sing, in fact, 
is for a few weeks after about the middle of July. 
In September it may be heard beginning again in a 
weak and undecided fashion, the performers being 
often, if not usually, the young cock birds of the 
year, and in mild, open weather in November it is 
often in brilliant song, continuing more or less 
frequently, except in hard frost, until the time, late 
in January or so, when it considers that spring and 
the singing-season have come in good earnest. 
Though it is somewhat studied in manner and 
marked by repetitions of its phrases, the song of 
no bird is more full of spirit and vigour, and in 
