AUTUMN SONGSTERS. 199 



songster is the Missel-thrush, or Stormcock. This latter 

 name has been applied to him because he only sings 

 during the stormy months of the year. No influence 

 has the spring or the summer over the voice of this 

 handsome bird ; he is silent when the woods and groves 

 abound with song. He begins his wild and careless lay 

 early in autumn, and continues it with increasing power 

 until the following spring. His notes somewhat re- 

 semble those of the Song Thrush and the Blackbird 

 combined, but there is a free and fresh independence 

 about them fully in keeping with the season. When 

 the autumn winds blow their hardest, bringing down the 

 russet leaves in showers, his melody sounds more than 

 usually charming from the rocking branches, and I have 

 often known him sit right through a storm of rain and 

 sleet, singing all the time. Next in order should perhaps 

 be mentioned the Starling. This homely, cheerful bird 

 warbles frequently throughout the autumn, especially in 

 early morning and at sunset. The Starling makes him- 

 self as much at home in crowded cities as in the quiet 

 country ; and the London parks at this season swarm 

 with these birds, which often keep up a merry chorus 

 from the tall elm and plane trees. Starlings are 

 gregarious, especially at this season, and when tne birds 

 of a large flock are warbling in concert the effect is very 

 pretty, particularly so at a time when bird music is 

 scarce. Many young Starlings may be noticed making 



