BERRIES AND BIRDS. 207 



shrubbery, or a chattering party of Fieldfares in the 

 whitethorn trees on some bright December morning, is 

 an animated sight indeed. How eagerly the plump 

 birds pull down the scarlet berries, deftly casting out 

 the hard kernels of the " haws" ! Then the noisy and 

 more timid Blackbirds pick off the holly berries, much 

 to the indignation of the owner, who mayhap was 

 looking forward to cutting the choicest clusters for 

 mural decoration at Christmastide. Many a promising 

 crop of these berries is devastated by the birds ; yet 

 who could grudge them this welcome fare at a time 

 when other food is so scarce ? Our greatest berry- 

 feeding birds are the Thrushes all of them musicians of 

 the highest merit which make the spring-time glad with 

 their varied songs. But very few of our hard-billed 

 birds are addicted to berries. Perhaps the Hawfinch is 

 the most notable species, and he, curiously enough, 

 discards the fruity covering of the " haws," and prefers 

 the hard kernels or "stones." The beautiful Bullfinch 

 feeds upon the berries of the yew, the ivy, and the 

 privet, and the Sparrow and the Buntings are partial to 

 elder-berries, the latter species as well as the Bullfinch 

 being very fond of the seeds inside the " hips " on the 

 rose trees. 



One of the most popular beliefs in the country is that 

 an abundance of berries foretells a long and severe 

 winter ; but, unfortunately for the birds, this prognosti- 



