UNCLE IN ENGLAND. 261 



alone at the very end of a branch, rose suddenly on 

 its wings and gave a cry of alarm, which was the 

 same I had heard before. The moment this hap- 

 pened, they all flew off together, except one, 

 which remained there till we almost reached the 

 tree, when it repeated the same cry and followed 

 the rest. 



My uncle told me that this is the constant habit 

 of these birds ; they arrive late in autumn, and 

 always collect in a flock, placing one on the watch 

 to give the alarm. When they spread over a field 

 in search of food, they never separate much, and 

 fly off in a body at the first notice of their sen- 

 tinel. The redwing sings sweetly in its native 

 country, Sweden, though here it makes only a 

 piping noise. As we walked along, he told me 

 that fieldfares were formerly kept in aviarie s 

 by the Romans, who fattened them on bread and 

 minced figs ; during which process very little light 

 was admitted, and all objects were excluded 

 from their sight, that could remind them of 

 their former liberty. We watched these birds 

 for a long time ; and as we returned home my 

 uncle said, " But in suggesting these subjects 

 of observation, Bertha, I do not mean that you 

 should always stand still in the cold to examine 

 them ; nor do I suppose that in one walk you 

 could attend to such a variety of objects. I only 

 want to shew you how much amusement a so- 



