By the Rev. A. C. Smith. 293 



rage and thirst for revenge he overlooks the benefit they have con- 

 ferred upon him by the destruction of thousands of worms and 

 insects : moreover the songs with which they enliven our shrub- 

 beries and gardens from early spring to the end of the summer, 

 and such songs too, ought to plead something in their favour : they 

 are great adepts at cracking snail shells against a stone, to enable 

 them to get at the contents, which they appear to relish above all 

 things. 



"Redwing" {Turdiis iliacus). Like its congener and companion 

 the fieldfare, this bird visits us in the autvimn, when the snows of 

 its native country in the north render its home untenable, and force 

 it southwards : it arrives a few weeks before the fieldfares, but 

 afterwards associates with those birds in flocks; when its smaller 

 size and the conspicuous red of the under wing coverts cause it to be 

 easily distinguished. Though seldom heard in this country it has 

 a most melodious note, which is so highly prized in the north, as to 

 have procured for this bird the title of the "Swedish Nightingale," 

 a title since usurped by the famous Jenny Lind. This fact of the 

 surpassing powersof songof the redwing may probably be unknown 

 to many, and seeing it only in the silent months of winter, and 

 hearing then nothing but an occasional and rather discordant 

 chattering, few have any notion of the loud and clear and exquisitely 

 sweet note with which it enlivens the thickets and copses of Nor- 

 way in a summer night, if indeed that can be called night, where 

 the sun merely approaches the horizon, and ascends again, or at 

 the most sets and rises within the hour; and where, daring a three 

 months tour, I never saw a candle, but could see to read and write 

 in the darkest of logliuts at any hour of the night : this indeed was 

 the time and place to appreciate the song of the redwing ; for 

 driving through the sombre forests in the night, as we frequently 

 did to escape the excessive heat of the sun, which scarcely ever 

 being out of sight during the summer, does not suffer the air to get 

 thoroughly cooled during the night, and strikes down almost as hot as 

 I have felt it in Rome in May, or Naples in June, to tlic great advan- 

 tage of the crops, but to the scorching of the mid-day traveller ; 

 passing on in single file, each in his carriole, througli the inter- 



