MISSEL-THRUSH 3 



You may walk miles round the district in which you 

 found the nests without seeing a Missel-Thrush, or per- 

 haps only one ; but they appear again in the open fields 

 towards autumn. 



Throughout the county the bird or its nest is to be 

 found. From Lydd throughout Eomney Marsh, gener- 

 ally about the old farms ; along the Royal Military Canal 

 from Warehorn to Lympne. It breeds in all parts of the 

 county and is abundant in North and West Kent. 



Mr. Boys includes it in his Birds of Sandivich, 1792. 

 In 1844 the Eev. J. Pemberton Bartlett states that 

 the Missel-Thrush is common in Kent. Among the 

 Birds Observed at Bainham by Mr. W. H. Power in 

 1865, he says : "I noticed the Missel-Thrushes collect- 

 ing in flocks about the end of July, at which time they 

 usually become shy and difdcult of approach ; they breed 

 in the orchards, but each pair appears to consider the 

 ground for a certain distance around the nest private 

 property, driving away with the greatest fury any unfor- 

 tunate Magpie, Crow, Jay, &c., that presumes to invade 

 their territory." 



This species was found in the Higham district, accord- 

 ing to the Rev. C. H. Fielding. Mr. G. Dowker includes 

 it in the Stourmouth district. Again the Rev. C. H. 

 Fielding says it is a common resident in Kent, and 

 adds it to his Birds of the Mailing Valley. In the 

 Rainham district, Mr. W. Prentis tells us that "a few 

 mild days in February the Missel-Thrush begins to 

 enliven us with its song, being the first of the Thrashes 

 to remind us of the time of year ; builds the latter 

 end of March, making its nest and laying its eggs in 

 either an apple or pear tree in our orchards." 



Captain Boyd Alexander mentions the " Missel-Thrush " 

 as found in the Cranbrook district. 



