THE PERCHING BIRDS. 



133 



bygone generation, since Brown has a note on the subject 

 in his (1833) edition of White's ' Selborne.' It all depends, 

 I suppose, on the exact distinction between song and noise, 

 which would seem to be more or less a matter of taste. 



The mistle-thrush nests early in the year, the nest, which 

 is usually placed in the fork of an oak, being in most years 

 finished by the third week in February, if not sooner. At 



this season the bird becomes shy and silent. Lined with 

 grass and mud, and placed, as a rule, 10 or 12 (I have 

 found them at only 4) feet from the ground, few nests 

 of the size are more easily overlooked. Eggs, 4, rather 

 over i inch; greenish, with red spots and lines. Two 

 broods are reared in exceptionally fine seasons rarely, 

 however, in Scotland. 



