WHITE'S THRUSH. 81 



and the base, marked with an elongated patch of 

 the same colour, presenting, when the wing is 

 partly closed, the appearance of two transverse 

 fasciae across the whole of the quill feathers ; 

 spurious wing, ochraceous, tipped with black ; 

 greater wing coverts, with the outer webs, ochra- 

 ceous ; lesser and middle wing coverts, ochra- 

 ceous, with a large spot of black on each web ; 

 legs and bill of nearly the same colour as in the 

 Missel- Thrush ; claws horn colour ; size rather 

 arger than that of the Missel- Thrush."* 



THE FIELDFARE, MERULA PILARIS. Turdus 

 pilaris, Linn. La Litorne of the French, 

 Field or Fieldfare of British authors. It is 

 nearly equal in size to the Missel- Thrush, and 

 is clothed in colours more gay, but as chastely 

 and beautifully blended, and instead of remaining 

 with us during the whole year, is one of our most 

 regular and abundant visiters in winter. .Its time 

 of arrival is late in November, generally at least 

 a fortnight subsequent to that of the Redwings, 

 and it appears sometimes in vast flocks, and 

 commonly in parties of not less than thirty or 

 forty together. On arrival, they often betake 

 themselves to the vicinity of the berry-bearing 

 trees, where they remain until the crop has been 

 entirely stripped. The fruit of the mountain ash 

 is a great favourite, and being nearly ripe about 

 the time of their arrival, is eagerly sought after. 

 As the winter advances, and these supplies fail, 

 * Eyton's Rare British Birds, p. 93, 94. 

 F 



