BLACKBIRD 13 



district up to January 23 and 24. Mr. E. T. Filmer 

 says that it is not "as common as it used to be" in the 

 Orlestone district. One was shot out of a large flock 

 close to Boxley Abbey, March 6, 1868. It was found in 

 flocks at Horton Green, on March 19, 1902, which were 

 the last seen in that district, and the last obtained in the 

 Orlestone district this year (1906) was on February 4 

 and April 4. It is also included in the birds of Bethers- 

 den by Captain J. D. Cameron (1906). 



In the Zoologist, 1864, Mr. J. A. Clarke says : " My 

 friend, Mr. R. M. Presland, possesses a Fieldfare, which 

 he shot at Gravesend on July 8, 1864. Is it not very 

 late for this bird of passage ? He sent it to me to 

 preserve, and on opening the bird I found three eggs 

 formed, about the size of a horse-bean." 



The reference respecting its breeding in Kent is made 

 on the authority of Morris in his Historij of British 

 Birds, vol. iii., p. 33. He says : "A nest has been found, 

 it is related, in Kent." As no other particulars are 

 forthcoming regarding this short note, we have come to 

 the conclusion that the breeding of the Fieldfare in Kent 

 is a mistake. 



BLACKBIED. 



Turdus vierula, Limiceus. S.N., i., p. '295 (1766). 



Towards October the Blackbirds begin to collect in 

 large numbers, especially under the hills, and in the large 



thick hedges along the winding roads which intersect the 

 whole of Romney Marsh. On October 10 numbers of 

 these birds were observed massing in all directions along 

 the lanes from Ham Street, Euckinge, Bilsington, New- 



