124 
TURDINiE. TURDUS. 
muscles distinct ; intestine of moderate length ; coeca very ; 
small, cylindrical. Tarsus moderate or rather long, com- i 
pressed, with seven scutella ; toes rather strong, com- ! 
pressed ; the first stronger, the lateral nearly equal, the ? 
third and fourth united at the base ; claws rather long, jj 
arched, compressed, laterally grooved, acute. Plumage 
ordinary, rather blended, the feathers rounded ; short 
bristles ; wings of moderate length, broad, rounded ; the 
first quill very small, the third and fourth longest ; tail ij 
moderate or long*. ' 
O 
The Turdinse, of which species occur in all countries, I; 
feed on insects, worms, and soft fruits, for which they ii 
search the open pastures, generally repose in the thickets i( 
and woods, have a moderately rapid, somewhat undulated | 
flight, and on the ground advance by leaping. The nests I 
are cup-shaped, and neatly constructed ; the eggs five or ' 
six. Many of the species are remarkable for their su- | 
periority of song. 1 
GENUS XXXVII. TUPDUS. THRUSH. i 
Bill of moderate length, rather slender, straight, compress- | 
ed ; upper mandible with the ridge rather narrow, the dorsal 
line slightly arched, the sides convex, the edges sharp, with 
an obscure notch close to the small, rather obtuse tip ; lower 
mandible with the angle moderate, the dorsal line convex, 
the tip rather acute ; gape-line nearly straight. Mouth ra- 
ther narrow ; upper mandible internally narrow, with a me- 
dial prominent line ; tongue sagittate and papillate at the 
base, tapering, slender, concave above, thin-edged, bristled, 
with the point slit ; oesophagus rather narrow, uniform ; sto- 
mach broadly oblong, compressed, its muscular coat rather 
thick, with distinct muscles, the epithelium dense, longitu- 
dinally rugous ; intestine of moderate length and width ; coe- 
ca very small, cylindrical. Nostrils elliptical, direct, in thq 
lower and fore part of the nasal membrane, which is feather- 
ed. Eyes of moderate size, eyelids feathered. Aperture of 
ear rather large, roundish. Head oblong, of moderate size ; 
