62 Pictures of Bird Life 



homes, and reniainiiii? witli us well into the sunnner, lontj 

 after our resident Tlirushes hiixe begun their nesting opera- 

 tions. I^ike all birds whicli breed in northern latitudes, they 

 appear to know perfectly well tlie difference in the seasons 

 in their siunmer and winter resorts, and are never deluded 

 by warm weather here to take a too early departure, only 

 to find themselves without food in a region still covered 

 with snow and ice. 



Knlikc some birds wliicli ^'isit us from wild and un- 

 inhabitated districts, these l)irds are remarkably shy and wary 

 — the Fieldfare particularly so — and do not readily allow a 

 nearer approach than about a hundred yards. A\"hen this 

 limit is reached, the whole Hock, which has been clustered on 

 the topmost branches of some high tree, fly off to another, 

 about fifty or a hundred yards farther on, each bird utter- 

 ing its loud alarm note — " Chack. cliack ! "' — as it takes wing. 

 This note can be heard high overhead when large flocks 

 are on the move from one part to another, and doubtless 

 ser^'es to keep the flock together, as each bird proclaims its 

 wdiereabouts, and stragglers can trace the progress of the 

 main body. 



The Blackbird is another frequenter of gardens and cul- 

 tivated fields, and there are few lawns where tlie "Ouzel 

 cock so black of hue " may not be seen, before the morning 

 dew is off the grass, hunting for worms and slugs. AVith 

 what intentness it listens, its head on one side, and tlie 

 bright, lustrous, orange-rimmed eyes eagerly scanning tlie 

 grass ! Then with a spring it hops forward, and the 



