TURDUS PILARIS. 251 



may yet be found breeding with us in summer. White also 

 says — 



" It has always been matter of wonder to rue that fieldfares, which are so 

 congenerous to thrushes and blackbirds, should never breed in England, 

 but that they should not think even the Highlands of Scotland cold and 

 northerly and sequestered enough is still more strange and wonderful." 



Yarrell mentions instances of their breeding in Scotland, but 

 I know of none in Fife (about the nearest point from Norway) ; 

 other supposed instances turned out to be missel thrushes. Mr 

 Hewitson, Mr Hancock, and others, went expressly to Norway 

 to find out their breeding-places. Writing on the 14th of May, 

 Mr Hewitson says — 



" We had all day rambled through those almost impassable forests, and 

 after climbing many a tree to old nests, we were returning weary and 

 disappointed, when suddenly the silence was broken by the loud, harsh 

 cries of a colony of fieldfares, which, alarmed at our approach, were 

 anxiously watching their new-made nests. We forgot our toils in the 

 delight of the discovery, and were surprised to find them breeding in 

 society." "Their nests were from 4- to 40 feet up, and mixed with old 

 nests. They were generally placed against the trunk of the spruce fir tree, 

 but some were towards the smaller end of the branches. They resembled 

 those of the ring-ousel and blackbird. The outside was composed of 

 sticks, coarse grass, and weeds gathered wet, matted together with a small 

 quantity of clay, and lined with a thick bed of dry grass. None yet had 

 more than three eggs — we afterwards found that five was the usual 

 number, often six. They are like those of the blackbird, the ring-ousel, 

 and the redwing ; so alike are the eggs of the four species that a drawing 

 of one might apply to all. They are sometimes so closely freckled all over 

 that reddish brown predominates. It is the most abundant bird in 

 Norway, and is generally diffused over that part we visited — from 

 Drontheim to the Arctic circle. 200 nests or more may be found within a 

 small circle of the forest." 



Mr Wolly also — writing from Sweden — says — 



"He found unfinished nests and fresh-laid eggs near Kelix on the 30th of 

 May," and that "the four or five breeding-places he found were amongst 

 very young fir trees upon the borders of the forest, and near cultivated 

 land." 



This agrees with my own experience of birds' nests, which 

 are generally on the outskirts of woods. Therefore, no wonder 

 Mr Hewitson and party were " disappointed in rambling all day 

 through the almost impassable forests" of Norway, when 

 searchino- for fieldfares' nests. 



