400 The Natural History of Selborne 



THRUSHES. 



THRUSHES during long droughts are of great service in hunting 

 out shell snails, which they pull to pieces for their young, and are 

 thereby very serviceable in gardens. Missel thrushes do not destroy 

 the fruit in gardens like the other species of turdi, but feed on the 

 berries of mistletoe, and in the spring on ivy berries, which then 

 begin to ripen. In the summer, when their young become fledged, 

 they leave neighbourhoods, and retire to sheep-walks and wild 

 commons. 



The magpies, when they have young, destroy the broods of missel 

 thrushes, though the dams are fierce birds, and fight boldly in 

 defence of their nests. It is probably to avoid such insults, that this 

 species of thrush, though wild at other times, delights to build near 

 houses, and in frequented walks and gardens. WHITE. 



Of the truth of this I have been an eye-witness, having seen the 

 common thrush feeding on the shell snail. 



In the very early part of this spring (1797) a bird of this species 

 used to sit every morning on the top of some high elms close by 

 my windows, and delight me with its charming song, attracted 

 thither probably, by some ripe ivy berries that grew near the 

 place. 



I have remarked something like the latter fact, for I remember, 

 many years ago, seeing a pair of these birds fly up repeatedly and 

 attack some larger bird, which I suppose disturbed their nest in my 

 orchard, uttering at the same time violent shrieks. Since writing 

 the above, I have seen more than once a pair of these birds attack 

 some magpies that had disturbed their nest, with great violence and 

 loud shrieks. MARKWICK. 



