THE FIELDFARE. 41 



and followed a noisy flock from tree to tree, and 

 from hedgerow to hedgerow, until we had well- 

 nigh despaired of a shot. But when perchance a 

 straggler remained behind, and his chattering note 

 betrayed his whereabouts, we had our triumph and 

 our reward ; for we took a steady aim at him from 

 behind a tree, and he came toppling down amid a 

 shower of twigs and leaves. 



When walking home in the twilight with a 

 pocket full of such "game," we had leisure to 

 speculate upon the extraordinary distance which 

 the Fieldfare must travel to reach this country, 

 and upon the causes which could lead to such a 

 wonderful journey. 



With us the bird is but a winter visitant, arriv- 

 ing in October and departing in April. Its summer 

 haunts are in Sweden, Norway, Lapland, Poland, 

 Prussia, Russia, and Siberia, 1 where, unlike our 

 familiar resident Thrushes, it is gregarious, and 

 breeds in colonies. 



Mr. Hewitson, writing of its habits in Norway, 



1 The Fieldfare, it appears, is not found in Iceland, although the 

 Redwing is a regular migrant there. Prof. A. Newton, in Baring- 

 Gould's Iceland '; its Scenes and Sagas, Append, pp. 408 and 421. 



