(RED-BELLIED THRUSH.)
Turdus rufiventris, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 2; Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 474; Hudson, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 89 (Buenos Ayres); Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 167, 1880, p. 417 (Buenos Ayres); White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 592 (Salta); Barrows, Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cl. viii. p. 85 (Concepcion). Turdus rufiventer, Seebohm, Cat. B. v. p. 222.
Description.—Entire upper parts olive-grey; throat white, striped with dark brown, the striped portion extending to the chest; rest of under surface, also under wing-coverts, rufous-red, deepest on the belly; bill brownish yellow; feet brown: total length 9·0 inches, wing 4·6, tail 3·6. Female similar.
Hab. S.E. Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and La Plata.
The Red-bellied Thrush, distinguished from the species just described by its larger size and the bright rufous colour of its under plumage, is common everywhere in the Plata region, and does not appear to be migratory. It is a noisy, strong-winged, quarrelsome bird, closely resembling the Dusky Thrush in its manners. It inhabits forests, runs on the ground in search of food, and when approached darts away with loud chuckling notes, flying close to the ground. These birds are also often seen pursuing each other through the trees with loud harsh screams.
The song has a faint resemblance to that of the English Song-Thrush, being composed of a variety of notes uttered in the same disconnected manner, with frequent pauses; but it is, both in sweetness and strength, inferior to that of the English bird. As a rule this Thrush sings concealed in a thick bush or tree.
The nest is deep, well made, plastered inside with mud, and concealed in the centre of a large bush or low tree. The eggs are four, pale blue in colour, and thickly spotted with brown.
[3.] TURDUS MAGELLANICUS, King.
(MAGELLANIC THRUSH.)
Turdus magellanicus, Seebohm, Cat. B. v. p. 223, pl. xiv. Turdus falklandicus, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 2; Hudson, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 548 (Rio Negro); Döring, Exp. al Rio Negro, Zool. p. 36 (R. Colorado and R. Negro).