134 A FINE SONGSTER. 



listened to the Thrush among the richly wooded vales of 

 Kent. Burns, the Scottish ploughman, by the braes of 

 Logan and Ballochmyle, has sung the praise of this bird, 

 which seems to have been an especial favourite with him. 

 Clare, the peasant poet of Northamptonshire, has given us, 

 in simple yet forcible lines, a picture of the bird at home ; 

 and now let Bloomfield tell how 



The Blackbird strove with emulation sweet, 

 And Echo answer' d from her close retreat ; 

 The sporting Whitethroat, on some twig's end borne, 

 Pour'd hymns to freedom and the rising morn ; 

 Stopt in her song perchance, the starting Thrush 

 Shook a white shower from the blackthorn bush, 

 Where dew-drops thick as early blossoms hung, 

 And trembled as the minstrel sweetly sung. 



In a note to White's l Selborne,' we find a remarkable 

 instance of the Thrush's familiarity with man during the 

 nesting period : * In the neighbourhood of Pitlessie, in 

 Fife, a pair of Thrushes built their nest in a cart-shed, 

 while four wheelwrights were engaged in it as a workshop. 

 It was placed between one of the hulls of the harrow and 

 the adjoining tooth. The men were busily employed at 

 the noiseful work of joining wood all the day, yet these 

 birds flew in and out at the door of the shed, without fear 

 or dread, and finished their nest with mortar. On the 

 second day, the hen laid her first egg ; while sitting she was 

 occasionally relieved by the cock. In thirteen days the 

 birds came out of the shells, which the old ones always 

 carried off. They fed their young with shell-snails, butter- 

 flies and moths.' 



Neville Wood says 



The Garden Thrush is universally allowed to be one of the 

 finest of our songsters, and to hear it on a clear April morn- 

 ing is certainly very delightful ; though, when heard close, and 

 alone, its strains sound desultory and even harsh. It is en- 

 tirely devoid of the deep and rich I had almost said sublime 

 melody of the Garden Ouzel. Its song, however, forms an excellent 

 addition to the vernal chorus, especially if heard in the distance. 

 The most favourable time for hearing it is early in the morning or 

 late in the evening, when it certainly sounds to great advantage. It 



