THE REDWING. 279 



Food Habits Nests. 



they assemble in flocks of two or three thousand, 

 *md feed on ripe cervices, of which they are ex- 

 ceedingly fond: during the winter they feed on 

 haws and other berries ; they likewise eat snails, 

 slugs, and worms. 



These birds, while associated in flocks, have 

 evident marks of keeping a kind of watch, to re- 

 mark and announce the appearance of danger. 

 On any one's approaching a tree that is covered 

 with them, they continue fearless, till one at the 

 extremity of the bush, rising on his wings, gives 

 a loud and peculiar note of alarm ; when they all 

 immediately fly, except another, who continues 

 till the person approaches still nearer, to certify, 

 as it were, the reality of the danger, and then he 

 also flies off, repeating the note of alarm. 



Fieldfares, though they build their nests in 

 high trees, and sit on trees in the day-time, 

 ^always roost on the ground. These birds were 

 jield in high esteem by the Roman epicures; 

 who had them in their aviaries, and fattened 

 ihern w ith crumbs of bread mixed with minced 



THE REDWING. 



THE redwing is not more than eight inches in 

 length. The bill is of a dark brown colour; the 

 eyes deep hazel; the plumage in general is simi- 

 lar to that of the thrush, but a white streak over 



