(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.