THE SONG-THRUSH. 25 



which takes place, as a rule, in the morning and evening 

 hours. Your wish will the better be gratified if a light 

 shower of rain has previously fallen. You see the Song- 

 thrushes leave their haunts one by one, and, alighting on 

 the grass, look warily around for a moment, but do not 

 elevate the tail, like the Blackbird, before commencing 

 their search for food. Hopping hither and thither, they 

 pick up the worms, slugs, and grubs, or seize a 

 passing insect ; when satisfied, returning into their leafy 

 haunt solitary as they came. Berries also are eaten in 

 considerable numbers, both in the autumn and early 

 spring months of the year. Wild fruits, as blackberries 

 and raspberries, are eaten, and the fruit gardens near 

 their haunts are often visited. The Song-thrush is also 

 a large feeder on those snails whose pretty shells occur 

 in almost every hedgerow. Capturing the snail, the 

 Thrush conveys it, shell and all, to some convenient 

 stone, where he dexterously breaks open the shell by 

 dashing it against it, and feeds upon the animal within. 

 I have often seen the remnants of a score or more of 

 these shells strewed round some large stone, silently 

 speaking of the Thrush's usefulness. The Song-thrush 

 also obtains much of its food amongst the withered 

 leaves and marshy places of the woods and shrubberies 

 which it frequents. In the autumn months we find 

 the Song-thrush in abundance on the cabbage beds near 

 its haunts, feeding upon the snails and slugs which 

 frequent that vegetable. In the moulting season this 

 bird is still more retiring in its disposition, as if fully 

 aware of its helplessness while undergoing its annual 

 change of plumage. 



The Song-thrush sings very early in the year, his 

 rich and varied notes . being heard early in February, 

 from which time he warbles incessantly up to the 



