SONG THRUSH. 213 



also continued through a large portion of the year, begin- 

 ning early in spring, and continuing it at intervals till 

 autumn. In addition to this great recommendation to 

 favour, the bird is inoffensive in habit, elegant in shape, 

 sprightly in action, and engaging by its confidence. It is 

 a native of Europe generally, and resident throughout the 

 year in all the more temperate portions. It is not, like 

 the Redwing, gregarious, but is so distributed that scarcely 

 any district not entirely destitute of wood is found to be 

 without it. It frequents more particularly small woods, 

 plantations, and shrubberies, seeking its food in meadows, 

 lawns, and gardens. It feeds on insects, worms, various 

 species of garden snail (the shells of which are broken 

 against a stone, and afterwards shaken off with great 

 dexterity), fruit, and, in the winter, various berries. In 

 the grape countries of Europe, the Thrush feeds luxuriously 

 during autumn on ripe grapes ; and in France this bird is 

 in great request for the table at that time, from the extra 

 condition and flavour which abundance of this rich food 

 imparts to its flesh. 



White of Selborne considered it a rule, that whenever 

 there was incubation, there was music ; and the early 

 spring song of the Thrush is an equally true indication of 

 an early breeder. The nest is frequently placed in the 

 centre of a thick and tall bush or shrub, sometimes in 

 a holly or fir tree, and occasionally this bird has been 

 known to make its nest in an open shed or tool-house. 

 The nest formed externally of green moss and fine roots ; 

 the inner surface smooth and compact, being lined with a 

 thin coating of clay and rotten wood, so equally spread over 

 and cemented, that when dry, it will, for a time, hold water ; 

 and so much rain has been found in a Thrush's nest in an 

 exposed situation, as to have induced the belief that the 

 nest had been deserted as untenable. The eggs are usually 



