4 1 8 The Natural History of Selborne 



THRUSHES. 



THRUSHES during long droughts are of great service in hunt- 

 ing out shell snails, which they pull to pieces for their young, 

 and are thereby very serviceable in gardens. Missel thrushes 

 do not destroy the fruit in gardens like the other species of 

 turdi, but feed on the berries of mistletoe, and in the spring 

 on ivy berries, which then begin to ripen. In the summer, 

 when their young become fledged, they leave neighbourhoods, 

 and retire to sheep-walks and wild commons. 



The magpies, when they have young, destroy the broods of 

 missel thrushes, though the dams are fierce birds, and fight 

 boldly in defence of their nests. It is probably to avoid such 

 insults, that this species of thrush, though wild at other times, 

 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. 



