•1 THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 



REDWING.— 7'wr^ws iliacus, (Liun). 

 A WINTER visitor, generaUy numerous, but sometimes 

 hardly seen, e.q., in mild, open winters. Many 

 appeared in the autumn of 1887, while in that of 

 1888, scarcely one was to he met with, a remark 

 that applies equally to the north and south of tlie 

 county. Near Tavistock, Mr. Mitchell has found 

 this thrush to show a preference for roosting in thick 

 fir woods. 



FIELDFARE.— 7V;y/;^s pilaris, (Liuu). 



An abundant winter visitant, arriving chiefly in 

 October, and occasionally prolonging its stay until 

 the beginning of May. Mr. Mitchell remarks that 

 the flocks of this Thrush which he observes, frequent 

 the horders of Dartmoor rather than the moor itself. 

 I have often noticed their peculiar habit of roosting 

 on the ground, for on winter evenings Fieldfares 

 gather from great distances, arriving in flocks at 

 some favourite spot just before dusk, and then 

 roosting on the ground, like Skylarks, generally 

 among coarse grass or in stubble fields. The song 

 of the Fieldfare is seldom heard in England, but 

 Mr. E. Murcli records his listening to a singing Field- 

 fare on Januar}^ 25th, the notes of which he compares 

 to the blended songs of the Blackbird and Missel 

 Thrush. (Zool. 1846. p. 1297). 



WHITE'S TRRV^ll.— Timlus variiis, (Pall). 

 A KARE straggler. " A good specimen of this 



