244 WILD LIFE OF SCOTLAND 



His colour blends so perfectly with the fading 

 foliage, that, when he drops from the beech-tree 

 to the ground, his red breast is indistinguishable 

 from the falling leaves. His pure and delightful 

 song, with its clear trills, comes from the roof, 

 from the paling, from the hedge. As each one 





seems to be vocal, 

 it would be easy 

 to take a rough 

 census of the district. 



He is an early riser. His 

 voice is the first thing I am 

 conscious of, after the chirpy scream of the awaken- 

 ing blackbird : the two autumn, and winter morning 

 clocks that tell me the time. He is to the dull dawn 

 of these later months, what the missel-thrush is to the 

 spring. And, as he continues till the other begins 

 again, he thus completes the cycle of the year. 



