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GOLD-VENTED THRUSH. 
Turdus aurigaster , 
Turdus chrysorhcEus, 
Hccrnatornis chrysorhceus , 
Pycnonotus chrysorhceus , 
Viellot. 
Temminck. Lesson. 
Swain son. 
Thompson. 
Turdus—A Thrush. 
Aurigaster. Aurum— Goid. Gaster — 
The belly. 
This is an African species, and as such was described by 
the celebrated Le Vaillant, whose entertaining travels are so 
well known. As far as appears, it may be rare even in its 
native country, for only a pair were seen, one of which, the 
male, was shot by Le Yaillant’s companion, Klaas, on the 
banks of the Grootvis River, in Kaffirland; but the other, the 
female, escaped, his gun being only a single-barrelled one; and 
though they searched the district for several days, they saw 
no others, nor even the female again. In all probability, 
however, the bird may be common in some one or more parts 
of that vast continent. 
The only other specimen of the Gold-vented Thrush that 
seems to be on record was shot at Mount Beresford, in the 
county and near the town of Waterford, in Ireland, in the 
month of January, 1838, by a boy who was shooting Black¬ 
birds, and by whom it was supposed to be one of those birds. 
Both the season and the locality must alike have been strange 
to it, for, as was Rizzio’s, its ‘home is far away,' and on what 
errand, and through what combination of circumstances it 
came hither, is beyond the hazard even of a conjecture. 
Male; length, seven inches and a half; bill, black. A 
rudimentary crest is formed by the feathers of the head when 
raised, they being slightly elongated. Head on the crown, 
and neck on the back, and nape, brown. Throat and neck 
in front, brown, becoming lighter on the breast, which fades 
