Birds in Frost. 243 



continued frost on birds is that it makes them 

 draw near to human habitations, and even in many 

 cases to penetrate into towns, and at such times 

 the fields and hedges have a singularly lifeless and 

 deserted appearance. Finches and other seed- 

 eating birds flock round farmsteads and stack- 

 yards; while robins and hedge-sparrows draw 

 close to houses, and are always to be found in the 

 neighbourhood of pigsty es, wherever they exist 

 which, we may add, are also much frequented by 

 blackbirds. 



Sparrows appear to be capable of making a 

 living under any circumstances ; but even they 

 during a long frost move into towns in con- 

 siderable numbers. Rooks, again, become very 

 hard pressed; if within reach of tidal waters, they 

 pick up a living on the foreshores; but inland 

 they are reduced to sore straits, and at such times 

 may even be seen under oak-trees turning over the 

 dead and fallen leaves with their beaks in search 

 of the few remaining acorns ; and, as every one 

 -knows who is in the habit of feeding birds in 

 winter, they will come for their share of the scraps 

 that are thrown out. 



Of all our birds, however, the thrashes of 

 different species probably suffer most, as hard 

 frost, especially if accompanied by snow, com- 

 pletely closes the source of their supply of animal 

 food. So long, indeed, as they have berries to 

 fall back on they do well ; but even in the most 

 fruitful years of which the last was certainly one 

 R 2 



