210 BRITISH BIRDS. 
sing until the nesting-season in the following spring. No sooner has this 
time arrived than the “Stormcock” drops his wild melody, and, unlike 
all his congeners, performs the duties of breeding in silence. The song 
resembles in some of its tones that of the Song-Thrush and Blackbird ; 
but it possesses a peculiar loudness and wild variation strictly its own, and 
may, by one who pays attention to the songs of birds, be instantly dis- 
tinguished from the notes of any other British songster. Like the notes 
of the Ring-Ouzel, it is somewhat monotonous, but rich and mellow. 
Before the first streak of dawn shoots across the dull wintery sky, the 
Missel-Thrush may be heard pouring forth his wild carol; and in the 
evening, when the dusk is falling, he sings equally well. But perhaps 
the time the “ Stormcock’s” song is heard to best advantage is on some 
wild day when part of his performance is drowned by the storm. Perched 
on the leafless branches of a lofty tree, he sits and warbles forth his song 
amidst the driving sleet and the roaring tempest. Should you disturb the 
Missel-Thrush when singing, he usually drops silently down and awaits 
your departure, though sometimes he merely retires to a neighbouring 
tree and warbles as sweetly as before. The call-notes of the Missel-Thrush 
are extremely harsh and discordant, resembling those of the Song-Thrush, 
yet infinitely louder and harsher. 
Missel-Thrushes pair about the first week in February, and at that 
season they are very pugnacious; and when paired they often frequent 
the locality of their nest weeks before a twig is laid in furtherance of it. 
Very probably, on account of its exceptional wariness of disposition, the 
Missel-Thrush prefers somewhat different nesting-sites, and, to a certain 
extent, breeding-grounds, from those of its near allies the Song-Thrush and 
the Blackbird. Still much of this inherent wariness disappears in the breed- 
ing-season, and it will frequently rear its young in the most exposed situa- 
tions. The Missel-Thrush is an early breeder, commencing in some cases 
in February ; and two (and sometimes three) broods are reared in the season. 
Its nest may be found on most of the forest trees, and but rarely in the bushes. 
The birch-copses, larch-plantations, woods, and orchards are its favourite 
haunts, and in some cases trees standing alone, especially a road-side oak 
orelm. A favourite situation is the alder trees bordering a stream, even on 
the banks of the mountain-torrents on the moorlands. The nest is built at 
various heights, sometimes only a few feet from the ground, at others near 
the topmost branches. You never find it in the slender twigs, but either 
placed on some horizontal bough away from the trunk, or on a suitable fork 
of the main stem. Instances are known of the bird building in evergreens, 
only a few feet from the ground; but such cases are exceptions; indeed 
this bird seems to have a peculiar aversion to using evergreens for a nesting- 
place. 
