Sub-fam. Merulinae, True Thrushes.

Sny.    Turdinae, Gray and others.

Bill of moderate length, rather stout, narrow throughout, compressed at the tip ;  culmen straight at the base, slightly curved at the tip, and notched; nostrils basal, exposed; gape with a few very slight rictal bristles; wings tolerably long and broad, somewhat pointed; 1st quill very small, 3rd and 4th usually sub-equal and longest; tail moderate, nearly even; tarsus of moderate length, the anterior scutae more or less united; toes long and stout, lateral toes nearly equal; claws moderately curved, stout.

The birds composing this sub-family, the Thrushes and Blackbirds, are found in every part of the world. They are mostly of plain and sombre colours, many black; others brown, spotted beneath; in one group more or less blue. They are chiefly sylvan in their habits, frequenting woods and gardens, a few only preferring open country. They feed usually on the ground, on which they hop, their chief food being insects, mollusks, and earthworms; with several (especially in winter), also fruits and berries. At this season, too, several are gregarious. Their flight is somewhat undulating, but strong and vigorous.

The true Thrushes unite to the Myiotherinae, as already noticed ; they also appear to join, on the other side, with the Timalinae by means of some of the American short-winged Thrushes, such as Mimus; and to pass into the Saxicolinae by some of the African Thrushes related to Orocetes: viz., Bessonornis and others.

The first group comprises the Blue Rock-thrushes (which may be called the Saxicoline Thrushes) and their affines.