172 A^nong the Birds in Northern Shires. 



even that one is occasionally seen on the meadows 

 and about the fruit-gardens on its way to and from 

 the moors where it breeds. Song Thrush and 

 Missel-thrush and Blackbird frequent almost every 

 hedge and field at one time of the year or another, 

 nesting commonly in these places, the Stormcock 

 showing the only partiality for the trees. Then in 

 autumn — in October — comes the Redwing from 

 Scandinavian fell and forest, followed in November 

 (sometimes as early as mid October) by the Field- 

 fare from the same far northern lands, both species 

 frequenting farm and garden alike, the former delight- 

 ing in the wet meadows and grass-lands, the latter 

 showing a stronger preference for the hawthorns, 

 holly-bushes, and other berry-bearing trees. By the 

 end of September the Missel -thrush has gathered 

 into flocks of considerable size. But this gregarious- 

 ness is continued for scarcely three months, and 

 for the remainder of the winter the birds live in 

 pairs or small parties, or attach themselves to com- 

 panies of Fieldfares. We find a marked differ- 

 ence in the duration of the melody of the Song 

 Thrush between birds inhabitinq;- the northern and 

 southern shires. In Devonshire, for example, this 

 Thrush warbles throughout the year, except during 

 the moult; in Yorkshire it may be heard to sing in 

 September (chiefly young birds), and occasionally in 

 October, but during the three succeeding months it 



