34 OUR IRISH SONG BIRDS. 



" A Thrush's day " has been thus described by a 

 gentleman who closely watched the birds from morning 

 until night, from a carefully constructed hiding-place, 

 hard by a Thrush's nest : 



2.30 a.m., the birds began to feed their young ones. 

 4.30 a.m., the young birds had been fed thirty-six times. 

 5 a.m., all the little ones were awake and " preening " 

 (pruning) their feathers. One of the young birds fell 

 out of the nest, and the old ones set up a doleful 

 lamentation, whereupon the gentleman came out of 

 his hiding-place, and restored the nestling. His appear- 

 ance, however, disconcerted the old ones, and he was 

 obliged to feign departure before their confidence could 

 be restored. 9.30 p.m., the young ones had been fed 

 206 times. 



In times like the present, it would go hard with us if 

 our little ones required such abundant sustenance, and 

 we should find our vocabulary insufficient to particu- 

 larize such frequent meals. 



Mr. Thompson mentions a curious fact observed by 

 him at Wolf-hill in 1847, namely, "that on wet days the 

 male bird invariably fed the young, the female leaving 

 the nest on his approach, and going to almost a yard's 

 distance from it during the time her mate was so 

 employed. On fine days the female fed them, and the 

 male perched on the top of a neighbouring tall tree." 



The nest is usually found in the first week of March, 

 and then generally placed amongst evergreens. After- 

 wards, however, it may be looked for in the hedgerows, 

 the whitethorn being a favourite place ; sometimes, how- 

 ever, it is found high up in the trees. Of the architecture 

 Mr. Johns says : " The bird displays her skill as a 



