THE 



BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE. 



ORDER PASSERES. 



FAMILY TURDID.E.— SUBFAMILY TURDIN^. 

 GENUS TUEDUS. 



MISTLE-THEUSH. 



TURDUS VISCIVORUS, LillllfEUS. 



Local Names — Slier-cock, Cldr-cock, Set-cock, Shirley, 

 Shirley-cock, Storm-cock, Shrite-cock, Swine-throstle. 



A resident species, breeding more or less numerously 

 throughout the county. In autumn it congregates in 

 small flocks, so remaining all winter, at which season it 

 is very wary. During the breeding-season also it is 

 more retiring than its congeners, being much more often 

 found in the woods of the fells than they are ; occasion- 

 ally, however, it breeds near houses, possibly seeking 

 protection from Eooks and Magpies. It usually lays 

 four eggs, but sometimes five, and Mr. J. P. Thomasson 

 says {ZdoL, 1861) that he has known it in several 

 instances to sit on three eggs only ; although when dis- 

 turbed at this time it is generally very noisy, sometimes 

 it will fly away quite silently. The nest, usually lined 



B 



