160 
OUR HOME BIRDS. 
“We will have several/’ was the smiling reply-, 
“ but I think we will keep them in the woods at pres- 
ent and the little girls rather reluctantly agreed 
that this would be the best way. 
“ Somebody tells a story of the thrush’s powers of 
reasoning which is really remarkable. This bird had 
been reared from the nest, and became very tame 
and docile. ‘ I frequently let him out of the cage,’ 
says the writer, ‘ to give him a taste of liberty. After 
fluttering and dusting himself in dry sand and earth, 
and bathing, washing, and dressing himself, he would 
proceed to hunt insects, such as beetles, crickets, and 
other shelly tribes ; but being very fond of wasps, 
after catching them, and knocking them about to 
break their wings, he would lay them down, then 
examine if they had a sting, and with his bill squeeze 
the abdomen to clear it of the reservoir of poison be- 
fore he would swallow his prey. 
“ ‘ When in his cage, being very fond of dry crusts 
of bread, if upon trial the corners of the crumbs were 
too hard and sharp for his throat, he would throw 
them up, carry and put them in his water-dish to 
soften ; then take them out and swallow them. What 
could the wisest man have done better ?’ 
“ The golden-crowned thrush has not much to do 
with his name, as the upper part of his head is of a 
brownish-orange rather than gold color. He is only 
