252 
have heard a missel-thrush utter “cah,” (like a jay) when 
carrying food, apparently for its young. We have thus in the 
Turdide a trace of a cry, common to the Corvidee; and prob- 
ably that trace might be increased by more extended observa- 
tions. 
The starling has a singular song-note, dissimilar to those 
of its closest allies, but resembling fairly the migratory call of 
the redwing, which is a typical cry of the British true thrushes. 
During the breeding-season the starling always ends his 
phrases with some harsh, high, squealing, but unmusical notes, 
which are then almost invariably accompanied by a flapping of 
the wings. He utters these sounds when his mate flies towards 
him, or when he approaches her—that is, when he is disposed 
to sing, and not on every occasion. These sounds are like the 
call of the migrating redwing, and constitute another link, 
however slight, between the species; for they are common 
to every starling (S. vulgaris) which sings, although they are 
rarely uttered in August or September, and only occasionally 
until February. 
The cry of the redwing is heard almost exactly repeated 
on the same occasions by the blackbird, and it is replaced by a 
much shorter note, but one similar in tone, in the song-thrush. 
The blackbird, when suspicious of danger, utters at intervals a 
very abrupt whistle, almost like the bark of a dog; the 
redwing, upon the same occasions, utters an almost precisely 
similar sound. Sometimes the blackbird, as his fear increases, — 
slowly quickens the repetition of this sound, which under the 
influence of vehemence betrays the common feature of a rise 
in pitch ; and we then see that the whole of the blackbird’s 
rattling alarm is insensibly graduated from this intermittent 
sound. The alarms of the missel-thrush, fieldfare, and ring- 
ouzel are all of much the same character as that of the 
blackbird: that of the ring-ouzel is practically identical with 
it, but is less varied in pitch. 
When the blackbird’s nest has been disturbed he utters a 
prolonged, very high, wailing note, which evenly descends 
about a half-tone in pitch. This cry is also uttered occasion- 
ally before heavy weather in autumn, or during severe frost. 
