THE THRUSH, &c. 65 



the yellow-hammer, the ortolan, the wheat-ear, and feveral other foreign 

 birds, of which we know rather the names than the hiftory. Thefe 

 chiefly feed on fruits, grain, and corn : the harveft often fuffers from their 

 depredations ; but they alfo have their ufes, and are frequently the dillri- 

 butors of feeds into different diftricts ; and fome are thought to thrive the 

 better, for having undergone a kind of maceration in the ftomach of 

 thefe birds before they are voided. The fongflers of this clafs are the 

 canary-bird, the linnet, the chaffinch, the goldfinch, the greenfinch, the 

 bullfinch, the brambling, the fifkin, and the yellow-hammer. Their 

 notes are not fo generally pleafing as that of the former clafs, but they 

 ufually hold it longer; and, in a cage, thefe birds are more eafily fed, 

 and are more h2Lnly, 



OF THE 



THRUSH AND ITS AFFINITIES. 



WITH the thrufh we may rank the red-wing, the fieldfare, the 

 blackbird, the ring-ouzel, and the water-ouzel. 



To this tribe may be alfo added the ftare or darling, which, though with 

 a flat bill, too much refembles thefe birds to be placed any where elfe. 



The MissEL-THRUsH is diftinguifhed by its fuperior fize ; it differs 

 little from the throftle ; but the fpots on its bread are larger. It builds 

 in budies, or on the fide of fome tree, ten or twelve feet high (as all this 

 kind do) j lays four or five eggs, deep blue, black fpots j its fong is 

 very fine, which it begins in fpring, fitting on the fummit of a high 

 tree; fings more than half the year j the larged of all birds that have 

 mufical voices ; all greater birds either fcreaming, chattering, or croak- 

 ing : feeds on infedls, holly, and mifletoe-berries ; v/hen frighted or 

 didurbed fends forth a very difagreeable fcreamj is in Burgundy a bird 

 of paffage; pair early; breed twice a year; fexes clofely refemble ; both 

 affid in bringing up their young; live in woods ; fometimes get drunk by 

 eating ripe grapes, and are taken by thoufands. 



There is a white thrufli, which yet retains the bread (pots ; alfo a 

 niftcd thrufh. 



Part IV. No. 26. M The 



