334 WHITE 



delights to build near houses and in frequented walks and 

 gardens. WHITE. 



Of the truth of this I have been an eye-witness, having seen 

 the common thrush feeding on the shell snail. 



In the very early part of this spring (1797) a bird of this 

 species used to sit every morning on the top of some high 

 elms close by my windows, and delight me with its charming 

 song, attracted thither, probably, by some ripe ivy berries that 

 grew near the place. 



I have remarked something like the latter fact, for I re- 

 member, many years ago, seeing a pair of these birds fly up 

 repeatedly and attack some larger bird, which I suppose dis- 

 turbed their nest in my orchard, uttering at the same time 

 violent shrieks. Since writing the above, I have seen more 

 than once a pair of these birds attack some magpies that had 

 disturbed their nest with great violence and loud shrieks. 

 MARKWICK. 



POULTRY. Many creatures are endowed with a ready dis- 

 cernment to see what will turn to their own advantage and 

 emolument : and often discover more sagacity than could be 

 expected. Thus my neighbor's poultry watch for wagons 

 loaded with wheat, and running after them, pick up a num- 

 ber of grains which are shaken from the sheaves by the agita- 

 tion of the carriages. Thus, when my brother used to take 

 down his gun to shoot sparrows, his cats would run out before 

 him to be ready to catch up the birds as they fell. 



The earnest and early propensity of gallinae to roost on high 

 is very observable, and discovers a strong dread impressed on 

 their spirits respecting vermin that may annoy them on the 

 ground during the hours of darkness. Hence poultry, if left 

 to themselves and not housed, will perch the winter through 

 on yew-trees and fir-trees ; turkeys and guinea fowls, heavy as 

 they are, get up into apple-trees; pheasants also in woods 

 sleep on trees to avoid foxes ; x while peafowls climb to the 

 tops of the highest trees round their owner's house for secu- 

 rity, let the weather be ever so cold or blowing. Partridges, 

 it is true, roost on the ground, not having the faculty of perch- 



