THE REDWING. 228 
then one of the most trustful members of this charming family of choristers. 
Towards the latter end of March the Redwings visibly decrease in number, 
and as the month of April approaches they rapidly leave us for the 
north; flock succeeds flock ; and by the middle of the month few are left 
behind. 
Redwings remain perhaps later on their feeding-grounds than any other 
British Thrush. As you wander over their favourite pastures at nightfall, 
when most other birds have gone to rest, you will often flush the Red- 
wings from their evening meal. Here and there they rise from the 
herbage, uttering their plaintive whistlmg note, fly quickly off, and are 
soon lost in the gloom. If disturbed on the pastures in the daytime they 
rise irregularly, and when in the air there is none of that uniformity or 
precision of movement observable which is so characteristic of the Common 
Starling. Redwings pass through the air on rapid wing, often at a con- 
siderable elevation ; and their flight is rather undulating, being performed 
by a series of quick flappings, with short intervals between, when the 
wings are closed, and during which they descend a little out of the direct 
line of flight. Sometimes, however, Redwings perform en masse the most 
graceful evolutions in the air, almost like a flock of Starlings. This is 
usually the case when they are disturbed from their roosting-places. They 
wheel and manceuvre in the air, and pass round and amongst the topmost 
branches of the forest trees, occasionally dipping near to the earth or 
alighting on the top of some tall tree, until the cause of the disturbance 
vanishes, and they can seek their nightly perches in peace. As a rule, 
except when a flock is going to roost, the Redwing is not a noisy bird ; 
and when a whole tree-top is covered with them only one or two notes will 
be heard. How different from a flock of Starlings or Bramblings! who 
seem to delight in making as much noise as possible when congregated 
together. 
Redwings are found in the same localities year after year, and nightly 
seek the same places for repose. A dense and impenetrable shrubbery is 
+ favourite roosting-place for the Redwing, sometimes for years, especially 
uere the evergreens and tangled brushwood are so dense as to make 
passage through them almost impossible ; and where the tall sycamore and 
elm saplings and the gigantic forest trees whose rugged stems and limbs are 
covered with ivy almost like a winter foliage make the place a suitable one 
in all respects for the concealment and shelter of bird-life, in such a place 
the timid Bullfinches pipe to each other, the Greenfinches, Chaffinches, and 
Bramblings congregate in incredible numbers at nightfall, the Ring-Doves 
and the Titmice are found in greatest plenty, and occasionally the Field- 
fare, the Jay, and the Magpie are seen amongst the branches. Early in 
the evening a few Redwings may be seen sitting quietly on the neighbour- 
ing tree-tops, their forms coming sharply out against the clear western 
