280 W. R. Partridge—Breeding of the Jackson’s Thrush


The nest was a somewhat rough affair, composed of haystraw and

bits of stick, but this can perhaps be explained by the fact that the

hen must have gone immediately to nest, laying three eggs, one proving

to be infertile, for on the 2nd June two youngsters were hatched.


On the 18th the first youngster left the nest, and the second on the

20th, but on the between day, to be exact the 19th, two more eggs

were discovered under the second babe. One of these eggs hatched

and the youngster left the nest on 22nd July. Again, on 19th July,

three more eggs were there under this last youngster, but as the hen

was found to be egg-bound on this day, she was removed and put in

a heated cage until the egg causing the trouble had been laid, after¬

wards she made a complete recovery. The eggs were removed from

the nest, and no attempt made to get them hatched.


Both parents fed the young with the cock particularly attentive,

feeding the babes that had left the nest, and taking food up for the

hen to feed the youngster in the nest.


The food they were reared on was earthworms—a decided

favourite—mealworms, and gentles.


All three youngsters are strong and healthy, and are now being fed

on ordinary insectivorous food, with only a small amount of live food

daily, and are entirely fending for themselves.


The colourings of the young birds is very similar to the young

Blackbird in its immature plumage. The head and back are best

described as nigger brown ; throat and upper breast, buffish-brown,

speckled with nigger brown ; lower breast, cream shading to white

on the abdomen ; flanks, rich rufus brown flecked with dark brown ;

under tail feathers, nigger brown shading to white on the tips ; wings

and tail, dark olive brown giving an olive-green sheen ; bill, dark horn ;

legs, white.


The eggs are greenish-blue, heavily mottled with nigger brown ;

the top of the egg being completely covered with this colour, and the

base very slightly. Shape and size similar to that of a Blackbird.



