TURDUS ILIACUS. 261 



was much put about by the fragments of the rock flying in all directions, 

 but would not quit the locality. She soon observed that a bell rang when 

 a train was to be fired, and that the workmen retired to a safe post. In a 

 few days when she heard the bell she left her nest, and flew down to where 

 they sheltered themselves, dropping close to their feet. There she 

 remained until the explosion took place, and returned to her nest. The 

 men observing this, told their employers and visitors who came to the 

 quarry, who naturally wished to see such a curious specimen of intellect in 

 birds, but as the rock was not always ready for blasting when the visitors 

 came, the bell was rung without the explosion. For a few times this 

 answered the purpose, the thrush flew down as usual close to where they 

 stood, but she soon saw she was trifled with by the explosion not following. 

 The restdt was that when the bell was rung she peeped over the ledge to 

 see if the workmen retreated, and if they did not, she quietly kept her 

 position, saying to herself, "No, no, gentlemen, I'm not to be roused off 

 my eggs merely for your amusement." 



It is said the mavis lives ten years, the blackbird twelve. 



The Redwing. 

 (Merula Iliaca, or Turdus Iliacus). Linn. 



" From naked groves nae birdie sings ; 

 To shepherd's pipe nae hillock rings ; 

 The breeze nae od'rous flavour brings 



From Borean cave ; 

 And dwyning Nature droops her wings 



Wi' visage grave." — Fergusson. 



This is the song-thrush, the nightingale of Norway, hut it 

 only comes to us in winter, when " nae birdie sings," and 

 " fieldfares pensive flock." It generally comes before the field- 

 fare, about the end of October. In severe winters it migrates 

 further south when pressed by want and woe — those twin ills 

 of life. And when I have seen them chased over the snow 

 when hardly able to fly, I have moralised on the incongruity of 

 Nature thus forcing her creatures to quit one cold and bleak 

 country for one little better. It is smaller and even prettier 

 than our native song-thrush, but is easily known by a long- 

 whitish mark over the eyes. The general colour of the upper 

 parts is olive brown ; forepart of the neck and breast white, with 

 long streaks of black and pale brown ; the sides of the body and 

 under wing coverts light red — hence its name. It is 8f inches 

 long, extent of wings 14 inches. In food and habits it is the same 

 as the rest of the thrushes, only it does not breed in company like 



