THE MISSEL-THRUSH. 31 



THE MISSEL-THRUSH. 



This noble frequenter of our woods and fields is known 

 by many as the * Stormcock,' a name acquired by 

 the bird warbling his lay in the wildest months of the 

 year. How diversified and everchanging are the habits 

 and motions of the feathered tribe ! and most particu- 

 larly their song. Some birds, as the Robin, Wren, and 

 Dunnock, sing all the year through ; while others, as the 

 Chaffinch and Bunting, sing but for a short six months 

 every season ; while again the Song-tjirush and Lark will 

 warble a few strains at intervals on some calm and 

 genial winter's day, in addition to their spring and 

 summer melody ; while yet again the Missel-thrush, by 

 Nature's mandates commanded, sings throughout the 

 winter, drops his lay in April, but regains it in all its 

 power in early autumn, to continue till the sun has com- 

 menced his journey to the northern tropic. Thus we 

 find that the Missel-thrush is invariably silent at a time 

 when all his congeners are filling the grove with their 

 melody. His song resembles in some of Its tones that 

 of the Song-thrush and Blackbird, but it possesses a 

 peculiar loudness, and wild variation strictly its own, 

 and may, by one who pays attention to the songs of 

 birds, be instantly recognised from the notes of any 

 other British songster. Like the notes of the Ring Ousel, it 

 is somewhat monotonous. I have heard this bird pouring 

 out his wild notes before actual daylight, in the middle 



