284 
allen’s naturalist’s library. 
brown edges to the feathers ; cheeks and throat white, mottled 
with dark brown margins to the feathers, the upper throat un- 
spotted j breast and sides of body pale golden-buff, the feathers 
all edged with dusky brown, these markings becoming evanes- 
cent on the abdomen ; under tail-coverts golden-buff ; thighs 
white, washed with cinnamon ; axillaries and under wing-coverts 
bright golden-buff or orange. Total length, 6-3 inches ; oil- 
men, 075; wing, 475 ; tail, 2 '2; tarsus, i’o. 
Range in Great Britain. — Onlya single instance of the occurrence 
of the Rock-Thrush in our islands is authentic, a specimen 
having been procured at Therfield in Hertfordshire on the 
19th of May, 1843. This specimen was examined by Mr. Yarrell 
in the flesh. 
Range outside tlie British Islands. —The Rock-Thrush is a bird 
of Central and Southern Europe, ranging eastwards to Turkestan, 
Mongolia, and Northern China. It also nests in the valleys of 
the Rhine and the rivers of Eastern France and in the Vosges 
Mountains, as well as in some of the ranges of Central Ger- 
many. It has occurred in Belgium and in Heligoland. It is 
met with on migration in the Western Himalayas, at Gilgit and 
in Ladak, and was obtained by Mr. Blanford near Ava, in 
Burma. 
Habits. — Canon Tristram describes the Rock-Thrush as very 
like a Redstart in its actions, while other observers notice its 
resemblance to a Wheatear, as it flits from rock to rock. Its 
food consists of insects, but in the autumn berries and fruit are 
eaten. The song is said to be rich and powerful, and almost 
to rival that of the Blackcap. 
Nest. — Always well-concealed and placed in the hole of a 
rock or of a ruined building, more rarely in the hole of a tree 
or of a house. The nest is composed of roots and grass, and 
lined with finer roots, occasionally with a few feathers. It is 
very like that of a Chat or a Redstart, and no mud is used in 
its construction. 
Eggs. — Four or five in number. Blue, like the Song-Thrush’s 
egg, but either spotless, or so faintly dotted with a few specks 
of brown as to be almost uniform. The size and shape varies 
a good deal. Axis, i-i‘i5 inch; diam., o75-o - 8. 
