228 BRITISH BIRDS. 
TURDUS PILARIS. 
THE FIELDFARE. 
(Piate 8.) 
Turdus pilaris, Briss. Orn. ii. p. 214 (1760) ; Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 291 (1766); et 
auctorum plurimorum—Latham, Gmelin, Bechstein, Pallas, 1 
mann, Gray, Bonaparte, Schlegel, Sharpe, Dresser, &e. 
Sylvia pilaris (Linn.), Save, Orn. Tose. i. p. 209 (1827). 
Arceuthornis pilaris (Linn.), Kaup, Natiirl. Syst. p. 93 (1829). 
Merula pilaris (Zinn.), Selby, Brit. Orn. i. p. 160 (1833). 
Planesticus pilaris (Linn.), Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 530 (1862). 
‘emminck, Nau- 
The Fieldfare, although the colours of its plumage are sober and chaste, 
like those of most Thrushes, is still a very fine and handsome bird ; and its 
arrival in autumn is looked forward to by observers of birds in the country 
as the sign of the winter’s advent, just as surely as the summer’s approach 
is known to be heralded by the Cuckoo and the Swallow. A regular 
winter visitant to the British Islands, the Fieldfare is commonly distributed 
over the cultivated districts, and as far on the uplands as the mountain- 
farms extend. The arrival of Fieldfares in Scotland is usually noticed first 
in the eastern counties, as it 1s quite natural to expect it would be, for 
their path in autumn is south and south-westwards. A few birds are said 
to be found on the Orkneys throughout the year, but they do not breed 
there. On the Hebrides the Fieldfare does not arrive till midwinter, and 
is only found on the farms and pastures—in the little oases of culti- 
vated land so sparingly scattered amongst the wide-stretching moorland 
wastes. In Ireland these birds also arrive late, and are found commonly 
distributed over those districts suitable to their habits and needs—the 
cultivated tracts. Fieldfares have been said to have bred in the British 
Islands ; but until definite proofs are forthcoming it is not safe to admit 
the truth of the statement, the birds being very liable to be confounded 
with Missel-Thrushes by careless observers. The Fieldfare has a some- 
what more southerly breeding-range than the Redwing. It breeds in the 
Arctic circle, extending up to, and occasionally beyond, the limit of forest- 
growth, and in north-temperate Europe as far south and west as the basin 
of the Baltic, and throughout Siberia as far east as the watershed of the 
Yenesay and the Lena. Its occurrence in Iceland is doubtful; but it has 
been occasionally met with on the Faroes. It winters in Southern Europe, 
occurring very rarely in the Spanish peninsula, but crossing the Mediter- 
ranean to Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and Nubia. In Asia it winters in 
Turkestan and Cashmere ; and one specimen at least has been obtained at 
Simla, in the North-west Himalayas. 
sae 
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