THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
other districts where I have met with it, this Thrush is one of the tamest of 
birds. It has a great variety of notes, some of which are very clear and 
melodious. The nests are cup-shaped, roughly formed of strips of dry 
bark, and neatly lined with roots, usually placed on a slight hollow on top of 
a burnt off tree, others between a piece of leaning bark and the trunk of a 
tree, or even in a crevice in the bank of a creek. The clutch is usually three, 
but sometimes four.” 
Mr. Frank S. Smith wrote me from Noorat, Victoria : “ This 
Thrush is remarkably fearless and tame and seems to prefer the society of 
man. There is hardly a garden — one that has a big tree or two — in the 
country, without its pair of Thrushes. During most of the winter they have 
an abrupt gobble note, not at all musical, which is uttered almost constantly, 
but, now and then, they break out into their own glorious song, which I have 
heard at all times, right through the winter.” 
Captain S. A. White has written me : “ This is really a coastal bird and 
when it does penetrate any distance inland it is by means of well-timbered 
ranges, Moolooloo in the Flinders Ranges being the furthest north I have 
met with this species, and for hundreds of miles out on the plains on either 
side G. rufiventris is found. In the well-timbered country of the coast it is 
a common bird and one which gives much joy to those who hear its wonderful 
clear and ringing call. If given protection the bird, although naturally shy, 
becomes quite used to human beings, although at times they will resent one 
going near their nest, if only to look in, by pulling it to pieces and smashing 
the eggs. At others I have known them to build in the creepers of a 
verandah, on a window sill and such places where people of the house passed 
backwards and forwards all day long. They become very musical and call 
loudly in the spring and during nesting-time, and after rain in summer their 
beautiful notes are to be heard ringing through the timber. The nest is a 
good sized structure, usually made of bark or small twigs, the eggs generally 
being four in number. Nesting-time varies according to locality and they 
very often bring up a second brood. They live almost entirely upon insect 
life and at times they take berries and seeds. The young bird after leaving 
the nest makes a very monotonous call of one note, repeating it incessantly, 
while the parent birds are hunting for food, and this lasts for a week or so. 
It is very amusing to hear the parent birds giving their offspring lessons in 
singing, for they repeat a note time after time till the young bird masters it. 
C. h. halmaturina. This is fairly abundant on Kangaroo Island where it 
frequents the open timbered country along the creeks and rivers. As far 
as my observations take me there seems to be little or no difference in habits 
between this and the mainland bird. Their note seems to be quite as full 
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