By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 291 



black and white dress : in habits, food, nesting, and absence of song 

 it very much resembles its congener: Mr. Hay ward speaks of one 

 killed at Lavington about eight years ago. Mr. Marsh possesses 

 one killed at Ford near Chippenham, in 1837, but states that he 

 has never seen it alive. Mr. Withers of Devizes, killed one near 

 that town about fourteen years since ; and these are all the notices 

 I have of its appearance in the county, nor have I ever seen it 

 myself in England. 



MERFLIDJ^ (The Thrushes). 



So well-known are many members of this family to the most unob- 

 servant, that I need say very little of their general characteristics : 

 bold, handsome, and active, they are ever presenting themselves to our 

 notice, while the voices of some species are hardly to be surpassed 

 in volume and in sweetness: their food consists of insects, snails, 

 and worms, and also of fruits and berries, and it is not to be denied 

 that they commit great havoc in the garden as the fruit ripens, 

 though the mischief they then do is almost, if not quite, counter- 

 balanced by the benefit they confer in the destruction of mj'riads 

 of noxious insects and snails. Most of the species are migratory, 

 if not from the country, yet often from one district to another, and 

 in winter they assemble together in large flocks: notwithstanding 

 their apparent strength and activity, none of our winter residents 

 seem to suffer more than the thrushes from severe cold: a very few 

 days of snow suffice to render the fieldfares tame, and in a hard 

 winter first the redwings, and then the Song thrushes die off in 

 great numbers. 



"Missel Thrush" (Tardus viscivorus). This is the largest of the 

 whole family, and very handsome withal: it derives its name from 

 its excessive partiality to the berries of the mistletoe: in winter 

 these birds will congregate in large flocks of forty or more, when 

 they are often mistaken for fieldfares. It is one of the earliest 

 breeders, placing its nest in the fork of some tree, often in the 

 most conspicuous position, and at this season it is as distinguished 

 for its courage, as at other times it is for its sliy retired habits: if 

 any other bird approaches its nest, it vociferates in the loudest and 

 harshest screams : its song too is very powerful, and it is the earliest 



