NATURE'S CHOIR. 73 



It is amusing to watch the antics of the Black- 

 birds as they hop round the lawn in search of 

 worms after a shower. They jump, listen with 

 their head turned to one side, and then pounce 

 upon the worm which has the curiosity to look 

 up. If it is a large worm, considerable diffi- 

 culty is encountered in pulling him out whole, 

 and the bird has to exert and stretch himself 

 to the utmost. When he gets the worm out 

 he pecks it all over, and then swallows it at 

 one mouthful, and goes hopping on the look- 

 out for more. 



The song of the Missel Thrush, sometimes 

 called by boys the " Monthly Mavie," consists of 

 a few sharp, loud, disjointed notes, and is best 

 heard during a storm as he sits on the swaying 

 top of a tall tree and whistles defiance to the 

 gale, hence his name Storm Cock. It is a 

 larger bird than the common Mavis, and lays 

 eggs with reddish brown spots, whereas the 

 Mavis lays a blue-coloured egg with dark spots. 

 The nests are also easily distinguished, the 



