THE SPOTTED GROUND THRUSH. 
249 
It is plentifully found in most parts of Europe, and favors the people with its vocal efforts 
throughout a considerable portion of the year. The song of the Thrush is peculiarly rich, 
mellow, and sustained, t nd is remarkable for the full purity of its intonation and the variety 
of its notes. The Thrush begins to sing as soon as incubation commences, and continues its 
song from the beginning of spring until the middle of autumn. In many cases the bird sings 
to a very late period of the year, and has been heard in the months of November and 
December. On account of its beautiful voice, it is in great request among bird-fanciers, and 
is sold in large numbers as a cage songster. 
Another sub-family of the Thrushes is named after the genus which is accepted as its t 
type, and is called by the title of Timalinse. On account of their chattering propensities they 
are more popularly termed Babblers. Several examples of this group will be given in the 
following pages, the first of which is the Chestnut- capped Timalia, a bird which derives its 
name from the peculiar coloring of the head. 
This species is an inhabitant of Java, and is rather common in that country. It is a 
sufficiently familiar bird, approaching human habitations without much diffidence, and 
building in close proximity to the barn or the plantation. It is a pleasing songster, possess- 
ing a sweet and musical voice, though its song has but little variety, consisting of only five 
notes. A sixth note is sometimes added, but evidently forms no part of the real song. 
This melody is repeated at very short intervals, with a peculiarly slow and well-modulated 
intonation. 
In its habits this bird reminds the observer of the common Thrush, and in its mode of 
feeding it also bears a great resemblance to that sweet songster. Its food consists chiefly 
of insects, which it captures principally on the ground, but it will vary its diet with snails, 
slugs, and other similar creatures, and will also feed upon berries and fruits. The bill is 
strong and thick, in order to enable the bird to capture and crush its food, and to disinter it 
from beneath the surface of the earth. Its feet are employed for the same purpose, and are 
consequently better developed than in the true Thrushes. The general form of the bird is 
rather thick and short in proportion to its size. 
The color of the Chestnut-capped Timalia is olive-brown on the upper portions of the 
body, with the exception of the head, which is colored on the crown with deep chestnut. The 
under parts are of a lighter hue than the back. A white band passes over the eye. The throat 
and cheeks are pure white, and the breast is also white, but is marked by a series of jetty 
black stripes. 
Australia possesses a curious and valued specimen of this group, which is popularly 
called the Spotted Ground Thrush. 
This bird is found throughout the greater part of Australia and Van Diemen’s Land, and 
on account of the delicacy of its flesh is greatly prized by both natives and colonists. Being 
always attracted by certain localities, it may be easily found by every one who is acquainted 
with its habits. Unlike the generality of birds, it cares little for trees or bushes, and seldom 
is known to perch upon the branches, preferring the tops of low stone-covered hills, or 
rude and rocky gullies, having a decided predilection for those which are clothed with 
grass and scrubby brushwood. The spaces between fallen trees are also a favorite haunt of 
this bird. 
The Spotted Ground Thrush is no great flyer, taking to wing with much reluctance, and 
seldom voluntarily raising itself in the air except to fly from one side of a gully to another. 
When it does take to flight, especially if alarmed, it rises with a loud fluttering noise, and 
proceeds through the air in an irregular and dipping manner. To compensate, however, for 
its imperfect power of wing, its legs are well developed, and render it an exceedingly fast 
runner, so that it is able to conceal itself with great rapidity as soon as it finds cause 
of alarm. 
V OL. II. — 
