A STRANGE BIRD.
ITo THE EDITOR OP THE " SPECTATOR.")
Sni,—I hope one of your readers may be able to identify two birds I saw here yesterday (June 12th). They were about the size of a thrush, alike in plumage, heads and bodies of a tawny brown, getting darker towards the tail, and with, whitish bars across the tail coverts. Their tails were very peculiar, held erect as they hopped (with both feet simultaneously) along the road and half extended, fanwise. They were curiously tame, allowing me and two children with me to follow them at a distance of five or six yards. When we came to a group of elms they rose from the ground with tails lowered and fully extended like an open fan, so that each feather could be seen separately, and disappeared into the branches. I never saw birds the least like them, and no one here can enlighten me.—
Previous page
