126 ENGLISH BIRD LIFE 



hostile elements. His performance may not reach 

 a very high musical standard when compared with 

 the resonant melodies of the Song Thrush or the 

 flute-like pipings of the Blackbird. But Nature 

 chooses her minstrels carefully. As the Nightin- 

 gale's note accords with the dim eventide, the Lark's 

 with the open sun-filled sky, the Willow Wren's 

 with its setting of freshly budding leaves, and the 

 Curlew^'s cry with vast desolate stretches of moor- 

 land, so the voice of the Mistle Thrush truly ex- 

 presses the spirit of the storm, of wind-lashed 

 branches, and of dark, swiftly-moving clouds. 



This Thrush is not only the largest of its race, 

 but is also the earliest to breed. The nest is con- 

 spicuously placed in the fork of some tree, often 

 before any trace of foliage has appeared to hide it. 

 The parent birds have a well-earned reputation for 

 boldness in defence of their nestlings, and M. Vian 

 states — asserting with easv confidence a " fact " 

 which is constantly disproved by experience — that 

 " wherever this Thrush builds its nest, a Chafhnch 

 will do the like, either on the same tree or on one 

 close by." Then, should Pie or other pillager 

 approach, the Chaffinch raises a cry of alarm, where- 

 upon the Thrush darts upon the intruder and drives 

 it away. 



But although this alliance for mutual protection 

 has no existence in Nature, it remains true that the 

 parental Mistle Thrush develops upon occasion a 

 very high degree of courage. It will certainly attack 

 with fury birds much larger than itself, and I, per- 

 sonally, have seen it, with bristling feathers and 

 outstretched neck, affront a prowling cat which 



