MY PET WOOD THRUSHES. 
211 
ture till they have seen a red-breast bathe without danger ; 
but the first which ventures is soon followed by the others, 
which begin to quarrel if the place is not large enough for 
all the bathers. In order to attract them, it is a good plan 
to have a tame bird running and fluttering on the banks of 
a stream." 
So it is with the gentle and affectionate natures of human- 
ity ; they are easily caught by the " limed twigs " of pre- 
tence. But here is what the German says of the European 
bird : 
The Song Thrush is the great charm of our woods, which 
it enlivens by the beauty of its song. The rival of the Night- 
ingale — it announces in varied accents the return of spring, 
and continues its delightfal notes during all the summer 
months, particularly at morning and evening twilight." 
The habits of the English or European Song Thrush agree 
so perfectly with those of the American bird, that we are 
almost tempted to pronounce them identical, except that we 
have heard their songs. One is brilliant, keen and cold as 
hawthorn hedge rows and a systematized civilization could 
require ; the other, wild, bold, liquid and free as the very 
breath of harmonious liberty could demand. 
At all events, the English bird is true to sentiment^ and that 
is all we demand. We cannot help, however, before leaving 
the subject of English and European song-birds, recurring 
to what this same European has said in regard to the famous 
Nightingale. Bechstein says : 
The male is particularly endowed with so very striking 
a musical talent, that in this respect he surpasses all birds, 
and has acquired the name of the king of songsters. The 
strength of his vocal organ is indeed wonderful, and it has 
been found that the muscles of his lungs are much more 
powerful than those of any other bird. But it is less the 
strength, than the compass, flexibility, prodigious variety and 
harmony of his voice, which makes it so admired by al^ 
lovers of the beautiful. Sometimes dwelling for minutes on 
