330 Passeres. BIRDS. Turdid.e 
song must be familiar to every one, is found in all parts 
of Europe during the summer, but quits the extreme 
northern countries at the approach of winter, when 
even our island receives a considerable accession of 
numbers from Denmark and Sweden. It is found in 
the wooded districts, and commonly haunts orchards, 
and gardens containing trees, where it commits con- 
siderable depredations upon the fruit. On the conti- 
nent the Thrush feasts in autumn upon the ripe grapes, 
and at this time its flesh is highly esteemed there as an 
article of food. Besides fruit, it devours caterpillars 
and other insects, and thus no doubt fully repays the 
gardener for any damage it may do to his fruit crops ; 
and the equally destructive snails also constitute a 
favourite portion of its diet. In getting at the latter 
delicate morsels, the Thrush exhibits much ingenuity; 
it breaks their shells upon a stone, shakes off the frag- 
ments most dexterously, and then swallows the soft 
body. Of all the larger singing birds, tlie Thrush is 
probably the best, as its song is rich, powerful, and 
varied, and continued with but little intermission from 
early in the spring till autumn. Its nest, which is built 
early in the year, is usuallj^ placed in'the centre of a 
thick bush ; it is cup-shaped, composed externally of 
moss and fine roots, and neatly plastered inside with a 
mixture of cowdung and rotten wood. The nest gene- 
rally contains four or five eggs, which are of a light 
blue colour, with a few black spots at the larger end. 
THE REDWING {Turdus iliacus) is a winter visitor 
to this country and to all thtt southern parts of Europe, 
passing the summer and bnuiding in the north. It is 
rather smaller than the Soiig Thrush, and is of a rich 
clove brown colour above, and whitish beneath, having 
the breast and belly spotted with dark brown in the 
same way as the Song Thrush. It arrives in England 
about the middle of October, coming in flocks from tbe 
Scandinavian peninsula and Denmark, and taking up 
its abode amongst the trees in our parks and pleasure 
grounds. The food of this species consists of insects, 
worms, and slugs, but it scarcely seems to eat berries, 
and in severe weather the Redwings are observed to be 
the first birds that suffer. In the north of Scotland, 
and sometimes even in more southern localities, the 
Redwings have been known to stay through the summer; 
but most of them quit us in the spring, and take their 
way to the north, where they build their nests and 
bring up their young. The song of the male is so 
beautiful, that it is called the Nightingale of Norway. 
THE FIELDFARE ( Turdus pilaris) . This bird, which 
is a winter visitor to Britain, is a permanent resident 
in Central Europe, and a summer visitor to Sweden, 
Russia, and Siberia. It is a hardy bird, and is the 
latest of our winter visitors in its arrival. In its general 
habits it resembles the preceding species, but, unlike 
the Redwing, feeds freely upon berries, as well as upon 
iiisects, slugs, and other small animals. Its song is 
described as soft and sweet. 
THE BLACKBIRD [Turdus merula), with his deep- 
black plumage, and bright yellow bill, is too well 
known to need any description. This bird is a 
permanent resident in Britain, and in the southern 
parts of Europe, but migrates for the winter from the 
more northern regions. It haunts woods and planta- 
tions, and is a shy and ^^gilant bird, flying off when 
disturbed with a loud cry, sufficient to alarm all tho 
other inhabitants of tbe grove. The food of the 
Blackbird consists of the same materials as that of the 
preceding species, although, perhaps, he exhibits a 
still greater partiality for fruit than even tbe Song 
Thrush, and his depredations in the garden are so 
extensive, that he is everywhere regarded as an enemy 
by gardeners. In this case, however, as in many others, 
it may fairly he questioned whether the bird does not 
amply pay for the fruit that he consumes by his ser- 
vices in ridding the garden of insects, slugs, and snails, 
of which he destroys great quantities in the spring and 
early summer. 
Tlie nest of the Blackbird is built early in tbe spring, 
usually in the midst of some thick bush. In its struc- 
ture it resembles that of the Missel Thrush. The eggs, 
usually four or five in number, are of a pale blue colour, 
speckled with reddish-brown. During the breeding 
season the male has a loud and powerful song; which, 
however, is not very varied. In captivity he has been 
known to imitate various sounds, even clucking like a 
hen that has just laid an egg, and crowing exactly like 
a cock, “ apparently enjoying the sound of the responses 
made by the fowls of the neighbouring farmyard.” 
THE RING OUZEL [Turdus tor quatus), which is nearly 
allied to the Blackbird, is one of the largest species of 
this family, measuring about eleven inches in length. 
The colour of its plumage is brownish-black, and 
across the breast there is a distinct white band. Unlike 
any of tbe preceding species, the Ring Ouzel is a sum- 
mer bird of passage in this country and in the north of 
Europe generally ; its winter quarters being in the most 
southern parts of the European continent, and in the 
north of Africa. In this country the Ring Ouzel resides 
and breeds in the rocky and mountainous districts, 
building a nest somewhat similar in its construction 
to that of the other thrushes, on the ground, under 
shelter of a stone or bush, or amongst the heath. In 
its food and general habits it resembles the Blackbird. 
Besides the preceding, two other species of the genus 
Turdus have been met with in Britain, namely, 
White’s Thrush [T. Whitei), a Japanese species, 
and the Gold- vented Thrush [T. auriventer), a 
native of Africa. 
THE RED-BREASTED T^'S.T3%'R{Turdusmigratorius), 
called the Robin in the United States of America, is 
about the size of our Song Thrush, and is of an ash 
colour above, with the head, wings, and tail black, the 
throat black, and the breast dark orange. This bird 
resides in immense flocks during the winter in the 
maritime states of the Union, migrating in the spring 
to the higher regions of the interior. The nest is 
usually placed in an apple-tree, and is plastered in the 
inside with mud, like those of our British thrushes. 
The female lays five eggs of a delicate sea-green 
colour. 
THE WOOD THRUSH [Turdus melodus), another 
American species, resembles our Song Thrush in its 
colouring, as also in the sweetness of its song. It is 
found in all parts of the North American continent, 
but migrates to the south for the winter. Its usual 
resorts are shady hollows, and it is of a shy and soli 
