Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XV.djvu/758

 728 THRUSH with the first quill very small; legs rather short and stout ; tarsi compressed, covered in front by a single scale in the typical genus turdus (Linn.) ; tail moderate. The food con- sists of insects, worms, berries, and fruits, and sometimes mollusks ; they move on the ground by hopping on both feet at once. More than 100 species of the genus turdus are described, having the characters given above; they are found in all parts of the world, and are more or less migratory and shy ; the nest is made of coarse grasses and mosses, usually lined with mud and soft plants, and is placed on bushes or trees ; the eggs are five or six ; the flesh is delicate. Several species have been already noticed under BLACKBIRD, FIELDFARE, and EOBIN. Among the American species is the wood thrush (T. mmtelinus, Gmel.), 8 in. long and 13^ in. in alar extent; the form is stout, the tail nearly even, and the third and fourth quills the longest ; the general color is rufous brown above, brightest on the head, and oliva- ceous on the tail ; pure white below, with numerous blackish spots on breast and sides ; Wood Thrush (Turdus mustelinus). legs yellow ; bill brown, yellowish at base. It is found in the eastern United States to the Missouri river, and south to Guatemala. The notes are few, but powerful, clear, and mellow, rising and falling in gentle cadences ; they are especially pleasing at sunset ; the food consists of berries and small fruits, and insects; the flight is elevated. The eggs are uniform light blue ; the young are easily raised from the egg, and they sing well in captivity. Several other species are described. Of the European species, the largest is the missel thrush ( T. viscivorus, Linn.), 11 in. long; it is light grayish brown above, the fore part of the head grayish and the rump shaded with ochrey yellow; secon- dary coverts and tail feathers tipped with gray- ish white ; a cream-colored band from bill over eyes ; below yellowish white, each feath- er tipped with a black spot, largest and trans- versely oblong on breast, smaller and triangular on neck. It frequents woods and copses, in small straggling flocks, and is shy and vigilant ; t feeds chiefly on berries, especially those of the mistletoe (whence its common name). The song of the male resembles that of the black- bird, and is heard as early as February, before the appearance of the leaves, and even during storms, whence its name of storm cock ; it is Song Thrush or Mavis (Turdus musicus). very bold in spring. The eggs are four or five, li by in., flesh-colored with irregular scat- tered spots of brownish red ; two broods are generally raised in a season ; it has been seen to carry off small birds to its nest to feed its young; the flesh is good. The song thrush, throstle, or mavis (T. musicm, Linn.) is 9 in. long, yellowish brown above, tinged with red on the head ; secondary coverts tipped with reddish yellow ; fore part of neck and breast yellowish, each feather terminated by a trian- gular brownish black spot ; lower wing coverts reddish yellow. It frequents lightly wooded regions and gardens, in the latter destroying snails, which it obtains by breaking the shell against a stone ; it is one of the finest of Euro- pean songsters, singing from early spring to autumn, in the morning and evening, from the Brown Thrasher (Harporhynchus rufus). top of a bush or tree. Its flesh, especially in the beginning of winter when the food consists of snails and worms, is very fat and juicy.