This bird is the same size as a Blackbird. The upper side is olive-brown; throat and under parts whitish; breast rusty-yellow with dark heart-shaped spots and flecks. A light eye-brow stripe runs over the eye. The under side of the wing is rusty-yellow; beak and legs brownish-yellow. Its nest is very remarkable. It builds by preference in trees with dense foliage, at a medium height, and employs stalks, grass, and small twigs well woven together, the crevices being filled with moss. There is nothing remarkable in this, for there are many better woven nests; but the cup of the nest is a work of art. It is wide, and deep, having inside a strong layer finely cemented and smoothed, about the thickness of the back of a table knife. This is composed of pulverised atoms of decayed wood, which the Thrush mixes with its sticky saliva, and kneads into a paste, with its beak. It lays five or six eggs of a vitriol-green colour, with very fine spots. The Thrush is a fine strong bird, and moves firmly and skilfully among the branches. When on the ground it holds its head and beak well up; always alert. When it sees its prey it springs on it at once with lowered head, seizes it and tears it to pieces with its beak. On mossy grounds it is very skilful in turning over tufts of moss, in order to reach the insects which crawl about underneath. It also catches grasshoppers, and in the late summer and autumn attacks the wild berries. It has many enemies. The Jay is the worst plunderer of its nest; but it has recently been ascertained that the Squirrel also sucks the eggs. Its song is beautiful, flooding the woods far and near, with its rich fluty tones. It sings from the highest branches of trees, sitting quietly meanwhile, as if itself steeped in the dreamy rapture of its own performance. * * * * * The Song Thrush in Scotland is called the Mavis. This is strange as it is the Redwing which is known in France under the name of _Mauvis_. The song of the Blackbird is often confused with that of the Thrush; yet that of the latter is a very distinctive one, because in the middle of a strain of song there is the repetition of its three chief notes. You will seem to hear it saying “Pretty dear, pretty dear,” or “Wait a bit, wait a bit.” We must own that the Thrush is a very active thief, although it does feed much on insects, worms, and snails. It is absolutely necessary to protect one’s fruit against this depredator. Shakespeare speaks of the “throstle with his note so true,” and Clare wrote “And thrushes too ’gan clear their throats, And get by heart some two ’r three notes Of their intended summer song.” But Browning still more finely enters into the spirit of this bird’s song:-- “That’s the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over, Lest you should think he never can recapture The first, fine, careless rapture!” THE BLACKBIRD. (_Turdus merula._)