124 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



The relation between the Alistle Thrush and the 

 parasitic plant from which its title is taken, has 

 formed a theme for discussion in the works of many 

 ancient writers. Upon this subject Mv. G. W. 

 Murdoch has the following interesting note : — " The 

 propagation of the mistletoe plant by the agency of 

 the Mistle Thrush was believed in by Aristotle 

 {Hist, An., Book IX. 96); by Pliny (who cribbed 

 extensively from the great Greek's natural history 

 writing); by the poets, and by the sixteenth century 

 English naturalists. The theory was that the bird 

 lived largely on the berries of the mistletoe plant 

 when it could obtain them ; that it did not digest 

 them, but discharged them in almost perfect con- 

 dition on the branches of trees, to the bark of which 

 they adhered, and that so grafted they blossomed 

 and throve. This was thought to be absurd by 

 Bacon {Sylva Sylvarum — Century VI.), and his 

 inductive refutation is here given in the original 

 spelling, use of capital letters, and italicized words 

 from the edition of 1627. 



" ' We finde no Super-Plant, that is a Formed 

 Plant, but ]\Iisseltoe. They have an idle Tradition, 

 that there is a Bird, called a Missel-Bird, that 

 feedeth upon a Seed, which many times shee cannot 

 digest, and so expelleth it whole : which falling 

 upon a Bough of a Tree that hath some Rift, put- 

 teth forth the ^lisseltoe. But this is a Fable : For 

 it is not probable, that Birds should feed upon that 

 they cannot digest. But allow that, yet it cannot 

 be for other Reasons : For first, it is found hut upon 

 certain Trees: And these Trees bare no such Frnit, 

 as may allure that Bird to sit, and feed upon them. 



