white-eye stripe, and greater amount of white at the base of the 
tail. Further, there is no white neck patch. 
Most people know the common thrush and the blackbird 
when they see them, and many country-folk, indeed, recognize 
no more. Yet there are five species in all, which may be called 
““common.” They are to be distinguished, not so much by their 
flight, as by their general coloration. Neither the common 
thrush, nor the blackbird need be described here: they cannot 
easily be confounded with any other bird. But for the moment 
it might be possible, it is true, to mistake the mistle thrush for the 
more common song-thrush. It is, however, an unmistakably 
larger bird, and when on the wing appears greyer, and if seen at 
close quarters, shows white tips to the outermost tail-feathers, 
and a white underwing. On the ground, of course, there can be no 
mistaking it, on account of its much more spotted breast; the 
spots, too, being much larger, and fan-shaped. During the 
autumn and winter there are two other thrushes which should 
be looked for. These are the fieldfare and the red-wing. The 
first-named, it is to be noted, will be found in small flocks, and if 
examined on the ground through field-glasses will be seen to have a 
slate-grey neck and rump, and chestnut-brown wings and tail ; 
while the breast is streaked instead of spotted. In flight the 
underwing is white, as in the mistle-thrush, from which it can 
easily be distinguished by its smaller size, and the absence of 
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