THE REDWING. 15 



When it tirst arrives, and as long as the weather is open, 

 it is wild and shy, but when keen frost sets in, with deep 

 snow, both 



The Fieldfare grey, aucl he of ruddive wing, 

 Hop o'er the fields unheeding, easy i^rey 

 To him whose heart has adamant enough 

 To level thunder at their humblest race. 



HURDIS. 



The occurrence of a heavy snow-storm generally causes most 

 of our Eedwings to migrate further south. Those which 

 from weakness or some other cause remain behind, maintain 

 a struggling existence for a short time, when they may be 

 seen frequenting the sheepfolds to pick up any little food 

 which they can find there ; but if the storm continue for 

 some time, they very soon perish in the snow. " The 

 severe snow-storms of 25th to 30th Jan., and 18th to 24th 

 Feb. 1865," says Mr. Hardy, "accompanied as they were by 

 vigorous frosts, made cruel havoc among the flocks of Eed- 

 wings and Fieldfares that annually visit the Berwickshire 

 coast. In the day-time, with feathers ruffled and taking 

 short heavy flights, they frequented the sheepfolds to pick 

 up scraps of turnip ; but these afforded little assistance, and, 

 as the storm increased, many crept into furze bushes and 

 perished. After the snow had disappeared, the sides of 

 sheltered deans — where, perhaps, they had roosted at night 

 — were strewed with the dead bodies of the poor famished 

 wanderers. About Oldcambus there were Fieldfares only, 

 but from St. Abb's Head to Eyemouth, Eedwings were 

 intermingled in smaller numbers with their bulkier con- 

 geners. The mortality on that part of the coast had been 



firs, where it builds its nest at no great altitude, and close to the stem. It is neatly 

 made, and somewhat resembles that of the Ring Ouzel, though it is smaller and 

 perhaps more firmly put together. The eggs are four to six in number, and the 

 usual colour is pale bluish-green, thickly marbled over the entire surface with 

 greenish brown." — Seebohm, British Birds, vol. i. p. 226. 



