TURDUS, the thrush, in natural histo ry, a genus of birds of the order Pas seres. Generic character : bill straitish, upper mandible somewhat bending, and notched near the point ; nostrils oval, and half-covered with a small membrane, or naked ; mouth ciliated with a few bristles at the corners ; tongue jagged. There are one hundred and twenty-two species enumerated by Latham, and one hundred and thirty-five by Gmelin, of which we shall notice the following: T. viscivorus, or the missel-thrush, This bird is well known throughout Eu rope, and some think confined to it. In England it is stationary, hi -some other countries migratory. It builds its nest of moss and leaves in low trees, or rather shrubs, and lays four eggs. It feeds on the berries of holly, hawthorn, and other trees, and on caterpillars and insects. It is valued for food, but far more for that melody, which ought ever to be its se curity from the gun of the sportsman, and which it frequently commences so early as the very beginning of the year, ani mating the dulness, and softening the ri gour of the season by its delightful song.
T. musicus, or the throstle, is nine inches long, and weighs three ounces, being considerably less than the former. It breeds so early as the beginning of April, and sometimes again in each of the two following months. Its nest is made of earth, straw, and moss, and plastered inside with clay. It is never seen in companies in England, where it remains through the whole year : in France it is migratory. Its song corn. mences early in the season, and continues for nine months ; and its notes are so rich and various, that, in the language of Milton, they can " charm all sadness but despair." T. pilaris, or the field-fare, is ten inches long, passes the winter in Eng land, when the season is extremely ri gorous, in immense flocks, but in small parties when the winter is mild. These birds are said to have been much esteem ed for the table by the Romans. In Swe
den they build in high trees. They sub sist principally on various sorts of ber ries.
T. merula, or the black bird, is ten incheslong, and found generally through out Europe. It is fond of solitude, and never, or very rarely, seen in flocks. In summer it haunts orchards and gardens. In winter it secludes far from human so ciety in the recesses of the woods. It builds in the same situation, and with the same materials, as the throstle, and may be easily reared, tamed, and taught to imitate a variety of tunes, and to articu late words and phrases. But its natural song is far superior to all its efforts of imitation, and when listened to from a moderate distance, for its sound is very strong, has a most cheering and trans• porting effect.
T. cinch's, or the water-ouzel, is ra 'her less than the former, is solitary, and mm with in,various parts of England, subsisting not only upon, insects but fish, which it procures by diving, and walking or running After them at the bottom of the water„ It is said to have been taken by a line and hook, having snatched at the bait intended for fish. It is able to sustain extreme cold, and does not quit its watery 'taunts till the streams are fro zen. It builds le the banks of rivers.
The musician thrush is four inches long, and a native of Cayenne, where it subsists principally on ants. It never quits trees but to procure its sustenance. It is called in Cayenne the musician, by way of It is said to deliver first seven notes of the octave, and then to whistle various airs in different tones, sometimes resembling the flute, at others the human whistle ; and when it displays its most skilful efforts, it is preferred by some even to the nightingale. Its habits are solitary.
T. migratoriuk or the red breasted robin, is a common and familiar bird in almost every part of North America.