74 



THE BIRDS OF ESSEX. 



the back are white, with a few coloured feathers intermixed ; lower part of back 

 much lighter than usual ; upper tail-coverts nearly white ; tail feathers as usual,, 

 except that two on each side and one near the middle, are white ; under parts 

 white, except for a few coloured feathers on the throat and the usual darkly- 

 marked feathers on the sides of the breast ; wing-coverts and secondaries mostly 

 white, also a few of the primaries ; legs and bill lighter than usual. 



There is no really-reliable evidence that the Fieldfare has ever yet bred in 

 this country, though not a few more or less unsatisfactory instances have been 

 from time to time recorded. For instance, Dr. Bree has recorded (29. June 12 

 and 18, 1869, & 34. 1864), what he regards as a " well-attested and proved 

 case" of the Fieldfare nesting and rearing young in the grounds of the 

 rectory at Alresford in 1869. The nest was built in the lower fork of the 

 boughs of a medlar-tree on the lawn. The gardener was certain that the 

 birds using the nest were not Mistle Thrushes, but further corroborative 

 evidence is wanting. It was afterwards sent to Dr. Bree, and I have seen it 

 in his collection, now in Mr. Harwood's possession. It is constructed exter- 

 nally of birch and fir twigs, also of moss, coarse bents, and a few roots, lined 

 with fine grass "and moss, which are the usual components of the nest of the 

 Mistle Thrush, 



Blackbird : Turdus merida. 



An abundant resident. There are good reasons for believing 



that this species occasionally in- 

 'terbreeds with the Song Thrush 

 in a state of nature. It varies 

 greatly in number from time to 

 time. Mr. Parsons records (35) 

 an invasion of Blackbirds on New 

 England Island, in October, 1836, 

 almost every hedge being full of 

 them for a week or two. White 

 or pied varieties are rather fre- 

 quent. 



The following curious circumstance 

 is recorded in the Essex County Chron- 

 icle for June loth, 1887 : — 

 " While two local constables [at Bradwell-on-Sea] were consuhing for a few 

 minutes the other morning, a blackbird settled on the helmet of one of them, 

 where it remained some little time. It then flew on to a gate only a couple of 

 yards off and sang splendidly for ten minutes without showing the slightest sign 

 of fear." 



The following also appears in the same paper for May 1st, 1877 : — 

 "There is a break-van at Mistley Station, which is used for the purpose of 

 ' breaking down ' trucks to the quay, a distance of half-a-mile. This is used two 

 or three times a day, and is frequently left on the quay two hours before being 

 brought back to the siding in the yard. On the framework underneath the van, 

 a Blackbird and his mate have built their nest, and the latter is now sitting upon 

 four eggs, regardless of the frequent journeys to and fro." 



On April 24th, 1878, Mr. F. G. Marriage found a nest containing four 

 fresh eggs at Springfield, built in the centre of a thousand-head cabbage,. 



BLACKBIRD, feniak, %. 



