BROWN BIRDS WITH SPOTTED BREASTS. 75 



their return to the north in April. Although easily con- 

 founded by an inexpert eye with their fellow-migrants 

 the Redwings, or with our own breeding species, the 

 Throstle and the Missel-Thrush, a little attention 

 serves to distinguish them. The light-gray lower 

 hack, set between the brown of the upper back and 

 the blackish tail-feathers, and the white underwings, 

 often displayed during the bird's wheeling flight, 

 are distinctive of the Fieldfare. When feeding on 

 the ground or when perching on a high tree, as is 

 their custom, the birds all face the same way. Before 

 settling to feed or before perching upon a tree, they 

 use an orderly wheeling flight. At times the whole 

 flock rises from the trees in concerted flight, but as 

 the birds proceed they straggle out until they cover 

 a great area of the sky. Whether perching or flying, 

 they constantly emit their very distinctive cry, 'Uch- 

 chu-chu-chut! ' a subdued, conversational utterance 

 more nearly resembling the chattering of Magpies 

 than the call-notes of any of their fellow Thrushes. 

 The Fieldfare's song is heard only where it breeds, 

 in Scandinavia. While with us it keeps to the 

 open country, feeding in the ploughed lands and 

 pastures. 



MISSEL-THRUSH— 11 inches; lower back less promi- 

 nently light, and tail light brown. Although they pack 

 in autumn and winter in small companies, they neither 

 face nor move in the same direction. When disturbed 

 they rise successively, one following the other in a line. 

 Cry, a harsh rattle. 



THROSTLE — 9 inches; upper parts olive-brown. Throstles 

 do not pack. 



REDWING— 8J^ inches ; broad white stripe over the eye ; 

 flanks deep ruddy -orange ; underwings richly ruddy. 

 K 



