Length 10 inches, extent of wings 14; bill along the ridge ¾, along the edge 11⁄12; tarsus 1 3⁄12, middle toe 1 3⁄12.
Adult Female. Plate CXXXI. Fig. 2.
The colours of the female are paler, but resemble those of the male. Her dimensions are a little less, the length varying from 9 to 10 inches.
Young Birds. Plate CXXXI. Fig. 3, 3, 3, 3, 3.
The young birds are spotted with blackish-brown on the fore-neck, breast, and sides, which are of a paler reddish tint; the upper parts have the shafts of the feathers whitish, and the bill is dark-brown. It is remarkable that all the Thrushes known to me which have the breast of a uniform tint when old, have it spotted when young, shewing that in their mode of colouring the different species of the genus agree in this respect at one period or other.
The Rock or Chestnut Oak.
Quercus montana, Willd. Sp. Pl. vol. iv. p. 440. Pursh, Flor. Amer. Sept. vol. ii. p. 634. Mich. Arbr. Forest. vol. i. p. 56. pl. 8.—Monœcia Polyandria, Linn. Amentaceæ, Juss.
This species of oak is distinguished by its obovate or oblong largely toothed or sinuate leaves, which are acuminate, and tapering at the base, of a deep shining green above, whitish and downy beneath. The cupule is hemispherical, with tuberculate scales; the acorn ovate. It grows to a great size, forming a fine ornament to our woods, and in open situations spreads abroad its branches to a great extent. The wood is valuable, and is much employed in the Western and Southern countries, where, as well as in some of the Middle Districts, it abounds. It prefers elevated situations, and generally occurs in dry gravelly soil.