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THE REDWING. 
wings were becoming poorer in condition, more feeble, and still more 
tame and confiding. But the frost still continued, and they repaired to 
the banks of the running streams and brooklets; numbers perished ; 
numbers were caught by hand; and eventually they disappeared from 
many districts altogether, having most probably joined the vast flocks 
of their congeners that were incessantly passing over the snow-covered 
landscape in a direct line southwards. Nevertheless the bushes and 
hedgerows abounded with berries, the Fieldfares seemed scarcely to suffer 
from the frost, and were always to be seen feeding upon them. It can 
be only as a last resource, therefore, that the Redwing becomes a berry 
feeder, except in the autumn when the luscious fruit of the service-tree 
is ripe. Its winter food is worms and insects; and where these are to be 
found the birds will only repair to the bushes and trees when alarmed or 
in order to roost. The Redwing also feeds on various species of snails. 
It is a pleasing sight to watch a flock of these birds searching the grass- 
lands for food. How nimbly they hop amongst the frosted grass, ever in 
motion, thorough Song-Thrushes in attitude and action, occasionally taking 
short flights or starting up to look warily round. They are scattered 
over the entire field, and each is busy searching for its food. If alarmed 
they fly off in small parties and take refuge in the topmost branches of 
the nearest trees, and, when the danger is passed, leave their elevated 
_perching-places in the same manner. First one will fly boldly down; 
others follow, and so on, until the whole flock is again engaged feeding 
as before. One or two birds sometimes remain behind in the trees near to 
which the main flock is feeding. These do duty as sentinels, and utter 
alarm-notes on the approach of danger, at which the birds take wing. 
Even if fired at, the Redwing will soon return to its favourite feeding- 
ground. 
The rich wild notes of the Redwing are always pleasant to the ear as they 
are borne hither and thither by the breeze. True, the song may not be so 
varied as that of the Song-Thrush, nor so rich and powerful as that of the 
Blackbird, nor yet so wild and free as the “ Stormcock’s” lay; but it has 
a rich sweetness about it which justly calls forth the praises of all who 
have had the pleasure of listening to the strain. Its low warbling song 
is usually preceded by whistling call-notes, or a few guttural cries, as the 
bird sits on the topmost spray of a pive tree. Dixon gives an instance of 
this bird singing in this country; he writes :—“I know not whether the 
song of this bird is frequently heard in the winter months; but with me 
it is certainly of the rarest occurrence. I have given the birds my 
closest attention ; but their song has only once greeted my ear. It was one 
of those sunny days in December, when every thing around almost put me 
in mind of the coming spring—the Robin chanting his delightful notes far 
up in the naked branches, and the little Wren pouring forth his jerking 
Bor, x. Q 
