26 THE BIRDS OF COOKHAM AND TIE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 
and myself were astonished at the large number of Thrushes 
which were congregated in Cliefdlen woods about the beginning of 
October. An occasional Redwing being heard among them, wo 
supposed them at first to be all of the latter species, and shot 
several in the course of a week or two, all of which, however, 
were the common Thrush, and it was not until the 8th of October 
that we shot our first Redwing. 
32. Turdus iliacus. The Redwing. 
The Redwing is a winter visitant, arriving very early. The 
two last specimens procured by Mr. Briggs for my collection will 
fairly illustrate the average time of their arrival and departure. 
A male was shot on October 8th, 1867, and another male on the 
6th of March. In very severe weather numerous Redwings are 
frozen out, some dying of starvation and cold, while others 
become so weakened as to be run down and caught alive by the 
villagers. As a rule, however, they are very shy, feeding in 
flocks, and are not easily approached. One of them is generally 
stationed as sentinel at the top of a neighbouring tree, whence he 
gives notice of the first intruder. 
6. Planesticus. 
33. Turdus pilaris. The Fieldfare. 
The Fieldfare is more numerous in some years than in others. 
It generally, too, arrives later than the Redwing, and, I think, 
departs earlier. Like the latter bird it is usually shy and 
difficult to shoot, but is often put to great distress by the frost, 
and when rendered tame by misfortune, falls an easy prey to the 
gun. Mr. Clark-Kennedy does not mention the local name 
‘¢ Pigeon-felt,”” by which I have often heard the villagers call it. 
Merula. 
34. Merula vulgaris. The Blackbird. 
This well-known songster is common all the year round, 
although very much shot down by the gardeners in the neigh- 
bourhood. The Blackbird has a peculiar penchant for mulberries, 
on which fruit it feeds voraciously in company with the Starlings, 
but there is no bird so often seen on the lawn of an early 
