THE TRUE THRUSHES. 26 1 



the 10th of April, 1883— a very late sojourn. In winter, it 

 gradually spreads over the three kingdoms as the season 

 advances, arriving on the east coast from Scandinavia and 

 then spreading westwards. 



Range outside the British Islands. — The Redwing breeds through- 

 out the greater part of the northern Palaearctic Region, from 

 Norway to the valley of the Yenesei, east of which it becomes 

 rare. Mr. Seebohm fixes the limit of its breeding range as the 

 no meridian. In Scandinavia it breeds up to the Arctic 

 Circle, and in the Petchora Valley up to 68°. Mr. Seebohm 

 also found it in the Yenesei Valley, about lat. 71 , nesting on 

 the ground beyond the limit of forest growth. It has been found 

 by Mr. Hartert breeding in Eastern Prussia, and has been said 

 to nest in Poland, Austrian Galizia, and in the Harz Mountains. 

 To the westward the Redwing breeds in Iceland, and has 

 straggled even as far as Greenland ; it has also been known to 

 breed on the Faeroe Islands, but all the supposed instances of 

 its nesting in England may be set aside as not authenticated. 

 In winter the bird wanders far, to the Mediterranean countries 

 and North Africa, visiting also Southern Russia, Persia, and 

 apparently North-western India, while in Siberia it reaches 

 Lake Baikal. 



Habits. — In winter the Redwing is a common object in this 

 country, and has all the manners of a Song-Thrush, excepting 

 that it is gregarious, arriving in flocks, and remaining in 

 parties during the whole of the cold season. These frequent 

 the pastures, when there is no snow to prevent their feeding, 

 and there they may be seen running along like a Thrush, and 

 ever and anon stopping, after a short run, to listen. As a 

 rule the Redwings are very shy, and are not easily approached 

 in mild weather, as one or two sentinels are posted on the 

 topmost branches of the bare trees, and on the smallest alarm 

 the whole flock flies up and settles on the top of a tree, 

 whence the birds fly off one by one, uttering their single 

 whispering note as they go. It is very seldom that they are 

 heard to sing in this country. The Redwing suffers much 

 from a continuance of cold weather, when the berries, to which 

 it turns for food, become exhausted, and numbers perish of cold 

 and starvation. They do not thrive on the food placed out for 



