108 TURDUS PILARIS. 



flexure 5f ; tail 4 ; tarsus Ij ; hind toe -^^^ its claw 5| twelfths ; 

 second toe 6^ twelfths, its claw /^ ; third toe \\, its claw 4^ 

 twelfths; fourth toe 6 1 twelfths, its claw /g* 



Female. — The female differs from the male only in having 

 the head more tinged with brown, the throat paler, the form 

 somewhat less robust, and the bill a little smaller and more 

 dusky ; but these differences are very insignificant, and it is 

 impossible to distinguish with certainty a male from a female 

 without dissection. 



Length to end of tail 10^; extent of wings 16^ ; bill along 

 the ridge ^^ ; tarsus 1\ ; middle toe and claw l:j. 



Variations. — Slight differences as to size and colouring are 

 observed, and albino individuals have been met with, as in the 

 other species. In the collection of Mr Stevenson, Edinburgh, 

 is a cream-coloured individual, with pale reddish markings on 

 the lower parts. The birds arrive in this country in full plu- 

 mage, as above described, and depart before any remarkable 

 change has taken place beyond the wearing of the tips of the 

 feathers. 



Habits. — About the end of October, sometimes in the be- 

 ginning of November, the Fieldfares make their appearance in 

 the northern and eastern parts of Britain, where some of them 

 remain all the winter and spring, while others disperse over the 

 country. In the wooded parts they seem to rest at night on tall 

 trees, at least I have seen them so roosted after sunset; but Mon- 

 tagu affirms that they repose on the ground, which may be the 

 case, and certainly they must sleep there or on rocks in the He- 

 brides, where they are met with during the cold season. I know 

 no place where one can study their habits more effectively than 

 in the neighbourhood of Edinburgh, where they are met with in 

 flocks of from several hundreds to three or four individuals. 

 You see them at early dawn flying off to the fields in a loose 

 body, or meet them there even in the dim twilight ; but it 

 seems improbable that they remain at night in the open fields, 

 as they are never observed to crouch in the manner of the 



