26 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



be a Thrush at all. I hope, however, that a few plain 

 directions may enable my readers to distinguish between 

 the different members of the Thrush family, and that 

 the song of the Missel Thrush, heard, as it usually is, 

 in the severest months of the year, may awaken in 

 their minds pleasant anticipations of coming spring and 

 summer. 



The Missel Thrush is the largest of European 

 songsters, as the Gold-crest is the smallest ; it is widely 

 diffused throughout Ireland, and is very common in the 

 neighbourhood of Dublin, where it may readily be seen 

 and heard. 



Missel Thrushes are said to be more numerous in 

 winter than in summer, although, according to Mr. 

 Thompson, the reverse is the case in Belfast. I have 

 seen large flocks of Thrushes in severe weather in the 

 Phcenix Park, and, examining them carefully through a 

 glass, have discovered that they were Missel Thrushes 

 and Redwings ; the largest and smallest of the Thrush 

 kind thus fraternizing in " the hard times." 



It has been said that of late years the Missel Thrush 

 is " elbowing out " the Song Thrush, if such a phrase be 

 permissible when applied to a bird ; and, no doubt, in 

 the Arctic winter, 1878-79, the Song Thrushes died in 

 hundreds, whilst their hardier brethren survived ; but I 

 am inclined to think that during the last few years the 

 Missel Thrush has by no means gained ground. 



Although the Missel Thrush derives its name from a 

 supposed fondness for the berries of the mistletoe, the 

 hawthorn seems to be preferred by the bird, and haw- 

 thorn woods are sure to be tenanted by numbers of 

 Missel Thrushes. The berries of the mountain ash, 



