BIRDS THRUSHES 15 



selves expert in getting fat from the supposed 

 sparrow-proof receptacles. 



Though missel-thrushes are common their 

 song is not familiar. It has been described 

 as much better than a throstle's; I do not 

 know if that is the general opinion. It cer- 

 tainly is simpler without the same repetition, 

 and it has seemed to me more mellow, more 

 like a blackbird's when I have heard it, but 

 that is not often. Throstles will sometimes 

 sing continuously all the winter through, and 

 early in the year I have listened most care- 

 fully to catch the notes of their bigger 

 brothers, but only very seldom with success. 

 They have, however, an autumn song which 

 I first noticed at the end of September a good 

 many years ago. I became aware one day 

 of a bird's song that seemed to be sometimes 

 the note of a blackbird, sometimes of a 

 throstle. After listening for several days I 

 came to the conclusion that it must have been 

 one of the many starlings that were singing 

 everywhere, one that had learnt more or less 

 successfully to imitate a throstle. However, 

 I never could make sure, for I never could 

 catch sight of the singer, he would hide him- 

 self in a holly or a yew, and would at once 

 stop singing if I went near. At last, one day 

 I heard him at the top of a sycamore which 

 was nearly bare of leaves, and managed to 

 bring a glass to bear on him; even then his 

 body was hidden by a bough and his head 



