274 TURDIDjE. 



by many observers ; but, though the species commonly breeds 

 in society, and two hundred nests or more have been seen 

 within a very small space, it is not invariably gregarious, 

 single nests being not rarely discovered, while in treeless 

 districts the birds will build on the ground, or even occupy 

 an unfrequented hut. The eggs are light bluish-green, vary- 

 ing in shade, and mottled over with small blotches or streaks 

 of dark or light red-brown ; they usually measure from 1*25 

 to 1*09 by from *87 to *73 in., and exceptionally small ones 

 not more than -85 by "67 in. This bird breeds early, the eggs 

 being often laid, even in Northern Lapland, towards the end 

 of May ; but has two broods in the season, and Mr. William 

 Christy, who visited Norway in the summer of 1836, found 

 (Entornol. Mag. iv. p. 476) a nest with eggs in it near Kaa- 

 fjord, in West Finmark, so late as the 6th of August. 



The call-note of the Fieldfare is harsh, and its song is 

 poor, though by some called soft and melodious. At night 

 it usually frequents plantations ; but unlike its congeners, it 

 is sometimes known to roost on stubble-fields. 



This bird is well known throughout the three kingdoms. 

 It is said by Gliemann to have once occurred in Iceland, and 

 it has been occasionally obtained in the Faeroes, but it is one 

 of the commonest species in all parts of continental Scan- 

 dinavia; whence, a few birds only remaining in favoured spots, 

 it generally migrates in autumn, journeying over all the 

 southern countries of Europe, and though of rare occurrence in 

 the Iberian peninsula, crossing the Mediterranean to Morocco 

 and Algeria. Further eastward it has of late years been found 

 to breed in lower latitudes, even in Bavaria, according to Pas- 

 tor Jackel, and possibly in the Alps. It is also found in most 

 parts of the Russian Empire, its northern range being pro- 

 bably only limited by that of the forests ; but it becomes less 

 numerous in Oriental Siberia. As, however, it is pretty 

 common in Cashmere in winter, it can scarcely be otherwise 

 than proportionally abundant to the northward, and a single 

 example is known to have been obtained in India, near Simla. 

 Returning westward, it is found in winter in Turkestan, 

 Palestine, Egypt and Nubia. 



