474 
SOLITARY THRUSH. 
placed at the base of the bill, and are partly covered by the feathers, 
which come rather more forward on the sides than on the ridg-e of the 
bill. The general colour of the plumage is brown, the upper part and 
sides of the head, back, scapulars, rump, and upper tail coverts plain, 
except the tips of the feathers on the back being paler, giving that part a 
slightly spotted appearance ; the chin is sullied white ; above and be- 
hind the eyes the feathers are paler than those adjacent : from the bill 
to the eye dusky ; the feathers on the throat and neck beneath are 
pale yellowish-brown at their tips, whitish at their base, which gives 
that part a mottled appearance : the upper part of the breast plain 
brown, but rather paler than the back ; the sides under the wings nearly 
the same ; the lower breast and belly down to the vent mottled or 
streaked with brown and white, the middle of the feathers being of 
the former colour ; the under tail coverts pale brown, with a rufous 
tinge ; the quills and greater coverts of the wings are brown, margined 
with rufous; the tail is a little forked, the feathers are brown, their 
margins tinged with rufous ; the legs are rather long in proportion, 
strong, and with the toes and claws of a yellowish-brown colour; the 
middle toe is closely connected to the outer as far as the first joint. It 
is an elegant bird, not quite so large in the body, but as long as the 
throstle. The head is remarkably small, and the crowm almost straight 
with the bill, there being scarcely any elevation on the forehead, but 
formed like that of the stare ; this shape, together with a straight and 
proportionably long bill, gives the head a lengthened appearance ; the 
legs are remarkably strong in proportion to the bulk of the bird, being 
larger than those of the throstle ; the vihrissce, or bristles, between the 
base of the bill and the eye, are black, but short, and not very conspi- 
cuous : the mouth is large, and opens as far back nearly as the hinder 
part of the eye. The bird here described was shot about the middle 
of June, 1810, at Copgrove, in Yorkshire. 
The Solitary Thrush is described as common in France, Italy, and 
in the islands of the Mediterranean and Archipelago ; and yet neither 
Buffon nor Brisson appear to have given a figure of it. It is said to 
frequent mountainous and rocky places, and to be always seen alone, 
except in the breeding season. Like the stare, it prepares its nest 
in old ruined edifices, church towers, and other similar places, and 
lays five or six eggs ; but two nests are never found near the same 
place. The young are easily brought up, and repay the trouble by 
their sweet native song ; they may be also taug’ht to whistle, and articu- 
late words. When confined, this species sings as well by candle-light 
as by day. Its food is principally insects, grapes, and other fruit. It 
