Transactions. ^ j c-"~-v- ^^ 



be mentioned, as showing the openness of the season, that we 

 have had the song of the thrush almost every day since before 

 Christmas, and just now (2d February, 1869) he may be 

 heard in full song every morning. The Missel Thrush 

 scarcely ever leaves us, and this winter has not done so ; but 

 has frequented the garden daily, feeding on " haws," of which 

 there was a plentiful crop last year. In hard weather, when 

 the supply of haws got exhausted, I have noticed that the 

 Missel fed freel}'' upon the berries of the " Cottoneaster " 

 shrub growing against the wall of my house — a food also, 

 indeed, freely partaken of by most of our common birds, even 

 " Robins." When so feeding, the Missel becomes very bold, 

 and will sit on a small railing within a few feet of the win- 

 dow, with two or three persons watching him, and admiring 

 his beautifully speckled breast. He is too, in such circum- 

 stances, selfishly tyrannical, and drives off every other hungry 

 bird who wishes to partake of the dainties before him. In 

 building his nest — it is usually in the same cleft of a parti- 

 cular tree — he, in 1867, took the liberty of " appropriating 

 to his own uses and purposes " a piece of lace which had 

 been laid out to bleach, and had it all neatly woven into the 

 fabric of his house except one end, which he evidently had 

 left loose to flaunt in the breeze and spite the owner. When 

 attending to his young he is very wary, and will sit long 

 enough if he thinks he is watched before dropping to the 

 nest. If the nest is approached he makes noise enough to 

 frighten away almost any intruder but man. 



The House Sparrow, so well known, I look upon with 

 interest as a very clever, bold, and possibly impudent little 

 fellow. It is instructive and amusing to watch the care and 

 solicitude he expends upon his young. One old cock, in one 

 season, who had a family of no less than five, became very 

 tame, and having them all in a row, perhaps five or six feet 

 from me, he would approach within a foot to pick up crumbs 

 thrown to him, and then distribute the food in the most regu- 

 lar, systematic, and paternal manner to his chirping and 



