REDWING. 199 



SO well as the Fieldfares, While in this country, the Red- 

 wings inhabit parks and pleasure-grounds that are ornamented 

 with clumps of trees ; and, like the Thrush, which they most 

 resemble in external appearance, they seek their subsistence 

 in mild and open weather in pasture-lands and moist mea- 

 dows, feeding principally on worms, snails, and other soft- 

 bodied animals. They are much less inclined to feed on 

 berries than most of the other species of this genus ; and 

 should the resources usually obtained by their search on 

 the ground be closed against them by long-continued frost 

 and snow, the Redwings are the first among birds to suffer, 

 and during some severe seasons, such as 1799, 1814, and 

 1822, hundreds have been found almost starved, alike un- 

 able to prosecute their journey further south to more con- 

 genial countries, or to bear the rigour of this. 



It is worthy of notice, as an instance in the economy of 

 nature, that many birds feed without hesitation or prejudice 

 on berries that are said to be injurious to man. 



After the winter is over, during which the Redwings 

 frequently visit for a time the most southern parts of Eu- 

 rope, and were seen by Mr. Strickland at Smyrna, they re- 

 turn in flocks to the more central portions, where they re- 

 main till the gradual advance of the season induces them to 

 continue their journey northward. Mr. Blyth has seen and 

 heard them in Surrey, Mr. Doubleday in Essex, and 

 Mr. Williamson in Yorkshire, as late as the month of May ; 

 and White of Selbome remarks, that one very cold and 

 backward season they lingered in Hampshire till June. An 

 instance is recorded of the nest of this bird being taken near 

 Barnet in Middlesex; another has occurred near Godalmin 

 in Surrey. A few Redwings have been observed to remain 

 all the summer in Aberdeenshire ; and Dr. Fleming states, 

 that " Mr. Bullock, in a letter to him dated the 28rd April 

 1829, mentioned the circumstance of the Redwing"'s breeding 



