BRITISH THRUSHES. By Eric Simms. New Naturalist No. 63.

1978 1st edition. 8vo (150mm x 223mm). Pp304. B/w plates and illustrations, maps and bibliography. Green boards, spine titled in gilt. D/w price, GBP 6.50 net.

"The thrushes are amongst the most ubiquitous of birds, as well as the most melodious. There are six true species of thrush breeding in the British Isles: Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Fieldfare, Redwing and Ring Ouzel. The author deals with each species in turn, describing fully it's general biology and ecology". The natural history of the genus as a whole is also discussed as are Britain's vagrant thrushes and the seven species of small chat-like thrushes of the British Isles. Chapters include: Introduction; The world's thrushes; song thrush and mistle thrush; Blackbird and ring ouzel; Redwing and fieldfare; Range and habitats; Plumage and moult; Food and feeding habits; Breeding behaviour - the early stages; Breeding behaviour - nests and young; Breeding seasons; Flocking, roosting and other winter activities; Mortality and population dynamics; Migrations and hard-weather movements; Britain's vagrant thrushes; The small chat-like thrushes of the British Isles - robins, redstarts, rock thrushes, nightingales, whinchats, stonechats, wheatears. An appendix deals with the parasites of thrushes. The dust-wrapper is covered with a transparent plastic dust-wrapper, secured with a thin strip of glue to the top and bottom edges of the rear of the paper dust-wrapper. This is often seen on New Naturalist books, and on this occasion is as issued by the publisher.