THE FIELDFARE AND THE BLACKBIRD. 373 



Til e song of the Missel Thrush is rich, loud, clear, and ringing, and 

 is often uttered during the stormiest period of the year, the bird seem- 

 ing to prefer the roughest and most inclement weather for the exercise 

 of its voice. 



Another large example of the British Thrushes is found in the 

 Fieldfare. 



This bird is one of the migratory species, making only a winter visit 

 to this country, and often meeting a very inhospitable reception from 

 the gun of the winter sportsboy. Very seldom is it seen in this coun- 

 try till November, and is often absent until the cold month of Decem- 

 ber, when it makes its appearance in great flocks, searching eagerly for 

 food over the fields. When the snow lies heavily upon the fields, this 

 bird betakes itself to the hedgerows and outskirts of woods and copses, 

 and there feeds on the various berries that have survived the autumn. 

 During this inclement season the Fieldfare may be approached and shot 

 without much difficulty. Its shyness, however, depends greatly on the 

 amount of persecution which it has sustained. 



In its color the Fieldfjire bears a decided resemblance to the gener- 

 ality of the Thrushes. The upper parts of the body as far as the shoul- 

 ders are ashen gray, dotted with dark-brown spots upon the head ; the 

 back and wings are rich brown, and the tail is dark blackish brown. 

 The chin and throat are a peculiar golden hue, not unlike amber, and 

 covered with numerous black streaks ; the breast is reddish brown, also 

 spotted with black, and the abdomen and under parts are white, spotted 

 on the flanks and under tail-coverts with brown of various shades. The 

 Fieldfare is not quite so 

 large a bird as the Missel 

 Thrush, being about ten 

 inches in total length. 



Among the best-known 

 and best-loved of our 

 British songsters, the 

 Blackbird is one of the 

 most conspicuous. 



This well-known bird 

 derives its popular name 

 from the uniformly black 

 hue of its plumage, which 



is relieved only by the T he ' B^IcKBrnj, {Turdus memla). 



bright orange-colored bill 



of the male bird. The song of this creature is remarkable for its full 

 mellowness of note, and is ever a welcome sound to the lover of Nature 

 and her vocal and visual harmonies. 



The Blackbird feeds usually on insects, but it also possesses a great 



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