THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 
feeding on the ground almost invariably seeks a refuge 
in the highest branches. It obtains much of its food on 
the ground, searching pastures, turnip-fields, and so forth 
for worms and grubs. It is also very partial to many 
kinds of berries and small fruits, roaming far and wide, 
especially in autumn and winter, in quest of them. In 
the matter ofits music the Missel- Thrush is unique among 
British birds. ‘The song is commenced in autumn, 
continued through the winter, and ceases in April, just 
when the voices of other Thrushes are at their best. It 
is a loud, wild song, uttered in fitful snatches from the 
tree-tops, not quite so flute-like as the Blackbird’s, but 
otherwise resembling it, and nothing nearly as varied as 
the ‘Throstle’s. ‘The call-notes are harsh and grating, 
especially when the nest is disturbed. ‘This ‘Thrush 
pairs early in February, and a few weeks later nesting 
operations are in progress. ‘The nest is built in tall trees, 
often in a fork or on a branch close to the stem, and less 
frequently at a lower elevation in a birch, hawthorn, or 
even an evergreen. It is made of dry grass, sphagnum 
or other mosses, tufts of wool, and slender twigs, lined 
first with mud and then with a thick layer of fine grass. 
The eggs are normally four, bluish, greenish or reddish 
in ground colour, spotted and blotched with reddish 
brown and grey. ‘lwo broods are frequently reared in 
the season. As soon as the breeding season is over the 
Missel-'Thrush assembles into flocks, but as winter ap- 
proaches these disband to a great extent. ‘The bird is 
now exceptionally wild and wary, often consorting with 
Fieldfares, a marked change in its habits from the early 
spring months, when it frequently makes its nest quite 
close to houses and in much-frequented spots. In fact, 
the Missel-Thrush is an anomaly in many respects. 
The adult Missel-Thrush has the general colour of the 
upper parts pale olive-brown ; the under parts are dull 
white boldly spotted with dark brown; the outermost 
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