76 Northern Observations of Inland Birds 



dread of, the thing that is about to befall them. So far 

 as they are concerned, Nature's closing chapter is the 

 most peaceful of all, and the sort of sorrowful ending we 

 often picture for them belongs, in the main, to a world 

 with which we are far more familiar. 



We have six British thrushes. Of these the blackbird 

 and the missel thrush remain with us through the year, 

 as also do a fair proportion of our song thrushes, though 

 a large number of the latter migrate. The ring-ousel is a 

 summer visitor, while the redwing and the fieldfare are 

 with us for the winter only, arriving first on the mountain 

 tops, where they may be seen fluttering in straggling packs 

 from hollow to hollow late in the autumn. 



The missel thrush is the largest of his family, and is 

 worthy of special note by reason of the fact that he is 

 among the cheeriest of our winter songsters. He does 

 not wait for a gleam of sunshine, but there, as dusk 

 falls wild and cheerless, while the groves are full of 

 the cold drip of rain and the angry roar of the January 

 gale, the missel thrush sits alone and aloft, and pours 

 forth his strange, piercing, cheerful song. His repertoire 

 is not great ; it seems always that there, alone with tired 

 Nature and with his God, he is asking a cheerful question, 

 and receiving no response from the lips that are mute, 

 he proceeds, after a brief pause, cheerfully to answer it 

 himself. Hence his proud and honourable name, storm- 

 cock, and blessed indeed are those who sing through the 

 storms of life ! 



To me the chafiinch is one of the most lovable birds 

 of our gardens. The male bird in his bright plumage helps 

 to enliven our favourite surroundings, and his song, 

 though short and not remarkable for originality of com- 

 posure, is at any rate as bright and fresh as apple blossom, 

 and a good deal more lasting. The hen bird is a neat and 

 trusting little customer, and together with the hedge 



