TURDUS RUFUS. 
118 
border of swamps and riycrs. On the first of Mar*^ ' 
they were in full song round the commons at Savanna” 
as if straining to outstrip the mocking bird, that prin^*^ 
of feathered musicians. . 
The thrasher is a welcome visitant in spring, ‘ 
every lover of rural scenery and rural song. In 
months of April and May, when our woods, hedgero"; 
orchards, and cherry trees, are one profusion of blossoia* 
when every object around conveys the sweet sensatja 
of joy, and heaven’s abundance is, as it were, shower'a^ 
around us, the grateful heart beats in unison with 
varying elevated strains of this excellent bird ; ’’T 
listen to its notes with a kind of devotional ecstasy* 
a morning hymn to the great and most adorable trea* . 
of all. The human being who, amidst such scenes, 
in such seasons of rural serenity and delight, can p*j 
them with cold indifference, and even conterapb 
sincerely pity ; for abject must that heart be, 
callous those feelings, and depraved that taste, 
neither the charms of nature, nor the melody of iu‘’v 
cence, nor the voice of gratitude or devotion can re*'' 
This bird inhabits North America, from Canada i 
the point of Florida. They are easily reared, 
become very familiar when kept in cages ; and thoi’^'j 
this is rarely done, yet I have known a few instaU'-^ 
where they sung in confinement with as much enei* 
as in their native woods. They ought frequently ^ 
have earth and gravel thrown in to them, and b* 
plenty of water to bathe in. j 
The ferruginous thrush is eleven inches and a b 
long, and thirteen in extent ; the whole upper 
are of a bright reddish brown ; wings, crossed 
two bars of white, relieved with bbu^k ; tips and 
vanes of the wings, dusky ; tail, very long-, rounded 
the end, broad, and of the same reddish brown as 
back ; vi'hole lower parts, yellowish white ; the 
and sides under the wings, beautifully marked 
long pointed spots of black, running in chains ; e'b 
white ; bill, very long and stout, not notched, 
upper mandible overhanging the lower a little, * 
