NOTES ON THE 



BIRDS OF HEREFORDSHIRE. 



Order— PASSERES. 

 Sub-order— OSCINES. 

 Section — Oscines Dentirostres. 

 Family— TURDID^. 

 Sub-family — TuRDiNiE. 

 Genus— TURDUS. 



TURDUS VISCIVORUS— Missel Thrush. 



MISTLETOE THRUSH— STORM BIRD. 

 Oh ! herald of the Spring ! 



'Tis thine, as thro' the copses rude 

 Some pensive wanderer sighs along, 

 To soothe him with thy cheerful song, 

 And tell of hope and fortitude. 



C. Smith. 



npHIS bold, beautiful bird is very common throughout the 

 county. It is the " Holme Screech," " Storm Screech," or 

 " Storm Cock," of the peasants, from the loudness of its song 

 before rain, or during the intervals of the early spring storms. 



For the same reason it is called in Hampshire the "Weather," 

 as being the harbinger of change. But the charge of being harsh 



