262 THE REDWING. 



the fieldfare, but, like our mavis, in a bush or stunted birch — 

 sometimes like our ring-ousel — (the mountain blackbird), on the 

 ledge of a bare rock, or on the roots of a fallen tree. The nest 

 is like the mavis' — outside, bent, grass, twigs, and moss ; inside, 

 a thin layer of mud, covered with a thick lining of fine grass. 

 The eggs bluish-green, similar to those of all the thrushes, 

 except the missel thrush, which resemble the shrike's, those of 

 the mavis being the bluest of all. It is the only thrush in 

 Iceland, and lays there in the first of June, and has two broods 

 in the year. In Norway Mr Hewitson has got their nests with 

 young on the 13th of June. In his " Rambles through Norway" 

 he says — 



" Throughout that part we visited it is known by the name of 

 nightingale, and well it deserves to be so, for to a sweeter song I have 

 never listened. Like the nightingale of more southern skies, its clear 

 sweet song would occasionally delight us during the night, if the two or 

 three delightful hours of twilight which succeed the long day of a 

 Norwegian summer can be called night. The birds, like the other 

 inhabitants of the country, seem loth to lose in sleep a portion of this 

 delicious short-lived season." 



In this respect it is like our mavis, and from this cheerful, 

 loving trait of its nature, I hope, my young friends, when you 

 see them during a hard snowy winter seeking our hospitality, 

 you will forbear to hunt and kill them when begging a few 

 snails, or worms, hips, haws, or berries from us in Scotland ; for 

 in February 1888, when snow covered the country, I saw them 

 hunted and stoned off each small green or brown patch of earth 

 on the Kirkhill and braes next the sea, and in the old Castle 

 Court, as well as on the sea beach — many of them killed when 

 scarcely able to fly. Yet, in milder seasons, before they leave 

 us in April or May, their low sweet winter song may be heard 

 (something like the starling's at this time), as if in gratitude 

 for our hospitality, preparatory to their louder song of love to 

 their mates when brooding on their young in their native 

 woods and wilds of Scandinavia. They only leave us to 

 reproduce their species, and, like the fieldfare, it is strange that 

 none remain to breed with us — they are so like our own song- 

 thrushes in colour, size, food, eggs, and habits. No wonder it 

 retreats from Scandinavian winters, as it is the first to suffer 

 with us in severe frost. They sometimes prolong their stay till 

 May, and, like the swallows and fieldfares, they congregate and 

 indulge in a low twitter of joy at the approach of summer. As 

 the chief food or fare of thrushes is got on the open field, it is 

 no wonder their soft bills make them suffer most in hard 





