36 RURAL BIRD LIFE. 



an exception in the Missel-thrush, for on no account do 

 you hear his tuneful lay cheering his sitting mate, and 

 the incubation is performed in silence, a fact perhaps not 

 observable in any other British songster. 



The popular belief that Missel-thrushes drive all 

 birds away from the neighbourhood of their nest, and 

 rear their young apart from the company of their kindred, 

 ought to be received with explanation. I have often 

 found the nests of the Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Magpie, 

 Wren, Thrush, Ring Ousel, and Blackbird, within a few 

 yards of the nest of the Missel-thrush ; all living peace- 

 fully together, and each performing its domestic duties 

 in company. I have seen the nest of the Missel-thrush 

 in the branches of a tall mountain ash : the nest con- 

 tained four eggs. In a small hole in the trunk a Redstart 

 was sitting upon her eggs, while in a recess amongst the 

 roots of the tree a Wren was building her cave-like home, 

 and a Magpie was also engaged in like manner amongst 

 the branches of a vv^ide-spreading oak close by. But, 

 gentle reader, mistake not these remarks, I pray thee. 

 If the nest of the Missel-thrush is menaced by any pre- 

 datory bird — by the way quite a different matter — the 

 parent bird will strive to repel its approaches, as will 

 most birds, more or less, when placed in similar cir- 

 cumstances ; and these pugnacious motions are un- 

 doubtedly the cause of this erroneous and misleading 

 statement. Where birds are closely observed the utmost 

 harmony is found to exist between them, when employed 

 in bringing up their young. Although their nests be but 

 a few feet apart, each performs its allotted task in a 

 manner harmonising with the instincts with which 

 Nature has endowed it. 



In the early autumn months the Missel-thrush con- 

 gregates into little parties, and by the latter end of 



