180 



THRUSHES. 



venience of the bird, 

 though in what way 

 we can form no opi- 

 nion. 



After the Shrikes, 

 we find in the tables 

 the Thrush genus (see 

 Table VII., page 12), 

 of which we have in 

 England seven spe- 

 cies, viz., 1. Missel- 

 Thrush;^ Fieldfare; 

 3. Song-Thrush ; 4. Redwing ; 5. Ring-Ousel; 6. Black- 

 bird ; and 7. Water-Ousel Or Dipper. 



The first of these, the Missel-Thrush, is not only the 

 largest, but the finest and boldest of the family, and has 

 some claims to our esteem, from its being the earliest 

 song-bird of the year ; often favouring us with its notes, 

 at a season when every other bird slinks away to its 

 hiding-place, glad to escape the inclemency of the wea- 

 ther. In the height of a heavy gale of wind, the Missel- 

 Thrush may be seen braving the blast, perched on the 

 quivering branch of some tall tree ; hence it has gained 

 the name of the Storm-Cock. It is, moreover, a gallant 

 bird ; and, during the breeding season, woe be to the 

 Jackdaw or Magpie that ventures to cast a wistful eye at 

 its eggs : nay, more, we have known it attack even a 

 Hawk, and fairly drive him from the neighbourhood. 



The Redwing and Fieldfare are but visitants : their 

 summers are passed in far-distant northern regions, 

 where they rear, unmolested and unseen by man, those 

 immense nights which frequent our fields and forests in 

 the winter season. It is generally supposed that they 

 are hardy birds ; but the very reverse is the case, for, in 

 severe weather, should there be a dearth of food, they 

 are the first to suffer. In hard winters, when sudden 

 falls of snow have deprived them of their usual supply, 

 thousands have been known to perish on the coast, un- 



