THE REDWING AND FIELDFARE. 43 



for its nest is lined with the finer grasses, like the Black- 

 bird's, and the eggs, judging from one in my possession, 

 taken in Sweden, very closely resemble the eggs of 

 that bird, but are, of course, very much smaller. 



Redwings are found in the same locality year after 

 year, and nightly seek the same place for repose ; and 

 often do I take shelter under the yew tree's dense and 

 impenetrable foliage for the purpose of seeing them 

 retire to rest. Early in the evening a few of the birds 

 are seen on the neighbouring trees, but as the evening 

 is emerging into night, and the moon assumes her 

 borrowed light, the birds come in flocks from the 

 pastures, their wings rustling in the still evening air, 

 and their call and alarm notes fill the air around with 

 tumult. Down they settle on the tallest underwood ; 

 yelp, yelp, is heard in all directions, and one by one I 

 see them seek their roosting-place. Numbers retire to 

 the ivy, others to the yew, while many seek the holly's 

 glossy sprays for their purpose. Now one flutters 

 hastily into the bush under which I am standing, but 

 noticing man's baneful presence, he flies quickly off to 

 more suitable quarters. As the stars shine out one by 

 one, solemn stillness reigns around, occasionally broken 

 by the fluttering of some benighted songster; but these 

 sounds cease at last, and I know that just around me 

 some two hundred members of the feathered race arc 

 lulled in tranquil sleep in the bosom of the warm and 

 friendly evergreen. 



In the latter end of March the Redwings visibly 

 decrease in numbers, and as the month of April 

 approaches they have left us in still larger numbers for 

 the north. Flock succeeds flock, and before the middle 

 of April arrives, they are probably in safety on the far 

 northern shores of Norway. 



