7. orpheus, polyglottus,Dominicensis, Lin. Sce.; Mock ing Thrush, Mock Bird, Mimic Thrush, St. Domingo Thrush, Etc. Grey-brown above, greyish-white beneath; lateral tail-feathers, and spot on the wings white. The bill is blackish-brdwn, the irides are yellow, the super cilia white, the rump grey-blue, and the legs in some black, and in others cinereous. About the size of the throstle, but of a more slender shape. There is a large variety, of a dusky-brown above, and grey-white beneath; that of St. Domingo inclines to einereous above, and to white beneath ; and there are some more diversified in their markings than any of those which we have just specified. The female has the same dimensions as the male, but brown is her prevailing colour above, and dirty white beneath.
This species occurs in North America, especially in its more temperate regions, and in several parts of the West Indies, manifesting a preference to moist shady woods, where, in a tree of moderate height, or else in a fruit-t•ee or bush near houses, the female places her nest, compos ing it of dry sticks or twigs, mixed with straws, hay, pieces of wool and tow, lining it with a thick layer of light brown fihrous roots, and fencing the under part ex ternally with spines. The eggs are generally four or five, as large as those of the black-bird, of an ashen blue, and sprinkled with rufous dots and blotches, especially to wards the larger end. The female sits fourteen days, and has usually two, or, if disturbed, three broods in the year. Bold and courageous, especially in the breeding time, the mucking bird makes war against the lesser shrikes, and expels the smaller birds of prey from its haunts. Its residence is seldom remote from the dwell ings of man, to whose society it is so little averse, as na turally to sing in his presence, and to be trained under his guidance to various exhibitions. At the same time it is so easily scared from its nest, that, if a person only look at it, the bird is said immediately to abandon it ; if a cat, on the contrary, happens to approach, the parent bird will fly at the head of the animal, and with a hissing noise frighten it away. The young are fed chiefly with grass hoppers; but the old ones, besides insect food eat cherries and berries of various kinds. After making every rational abatement for the exaggerated accounts of their song, it seems to be generally admitted that they not only possess na tive notes, which are truly musical and plaintive, but that they are, moreover, endowed with the faculty of imitating the tones of others birds, those of quadrupeds, and various sorts of noises. Thus, one of them confined in a cage, has been heard to mimic the mewing of a cat, the chat tering of a magpie, and the creaking of the hinges of a sign-post in high winds. It is one of the few singing birds of America that can be compared with those of Europe; but it is ridiculous to allege that its strains are superior, or even equal to those of the nightingale. In the warmer parts of America, it continues musical from March to August, and warbles both day and night, begin ning with its own compositions, and frequently finishing with borrowed descants. It accompanies its warbling with appropriate action and expression, and may some times even be said to dance ; for, when excited into a kind of ecstasy by its own music, it gradually raises itself from the place where it stood, and, with extended wings, drops down to the same spot, whirling round and performing many amusing gesticulations. On account of
the diversified and imitative character of its notes, the Mexicans call it by a name which signifies the bird of a hundred tongues. Its native strains are, however, too loud for a room, and are heard to most advantage at a little distance in the open air. If taken young, and treat ed with great care, it may be reared in captivity, so as to become both familiar and docile, and to afford much amusement by its interesting feats ; but scarcely more than one in ten of such attempts proves successful. When first confined, it will endeavour to escape through the wires of the cage, and will kill itself if the upper part be not made of wood, so as entirely to obstruct its view. In some places, and particularly at Philadelphia, it is in high request for the table ; and a fine bird has been some times known to fetch upwards of a hundred dollars.
T. roseus, Lin. Stc. Roseate Thrush or Rose-coloured Ouzel. Pale pink ; head, wings, and tail, black ; hind head crested. This beautiful species of thrush is rather less than the blackbird. It appears to be diffused in the hottest and coldest regions of our continent ; Forskael having remarked it in the burning soil of Arabia, and in the fields of Aleppo, in the months of July and August, Levaillant in the latitude of 24°, and other naturalists in Bengal ; whereas Pallas encountered it in the northern districts of Siberia, on the hilly banks of the Irtisch, where it breeds among the rocks ; and Linne asserts, that it is found in Lapland. It is common on the shores of the Caspian, near Astrachan, and all along the Volga, pas sing, in very numerous flocks, into the southern parts of Russia. In France, it is only a temporary visitant, along with other birds of passage. Considerable troops of this species were seen to traverse Piedmont and Provence, in the autumn of 1817, and they have been repeatedly ob served in Burgundy. They are rarely met with in En gland ; but a few specimens arc said to be shot almost every year about Ormskirk, in Lancashire. On account of its incessant warfare against the locust, this bird was regarded as a divine blessing by the ancients ; and, even at the present day, the inhabitants of Arabia and Aleppo invoke the Samarmar, or Locust-bird, to protect the in vaded crops; nor will the Turks allow any person to kill it in their presence. We have to add, that, in its habits, it manifests considerable analogy to the starling, associa ting with cattle, picking insects from their hair and skin, flying in bands, and nestling in the holes of the rocks. In default of insects, it eats berries and tender fruits. Ac cording to Forskael, its only note is a uniform reiteration of tr, tr, tr, which is, certainly, far from musical.
T. Nova Guinensis, Cuv. Paradisea Gularis, Lath. Paradisea Nigra, Gmel. and Levan. Astrapia Gularis, Vicill. New Guinea Thrush, Gorget Thrush, or Gorget Paradise Bird. Black, glossed with purple ; back and under parts blackish golden green ; throat golden copper coloured ; tail extremely long and cuneated. This singu lar and showy bird was first accurately described by La tham, from a specimen in the possession of the late Sir Joseph Banks. The female is mostly black, and both smaller and less splendid in its garb than the male.