BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 21 



These birds were probably en route for the south, as 

 they remained only two or three days in the neigh- 

 bourhood. 



In severe winters, when there is a scarcity of food, 

 flocks of Fieldfares will frequent the fields of Swede 

 turnips, and, like the Rook, drill holes into the bulbs : 

 I have shot them in the very act, and found their 

 stomachs quite full of the pulped Swede. This is a 

 bad habit ; for it lets the frost into the root, and sub- 

 sequently rots it. Wood-Pigeons have the same trick ; 

 but I believe these latter never attack a root unless 

 previously injured by insects or the bite of hares and 

 rabbits ; their bill is not strong enough to penetrate 

 the hard rind of a frozen Swede. 



Fieldfares come from great distances on winter 

 evenings to roost in some favourite place. A plan- 

 tation of young larch, having much rough grass in 

 it, is greatly in demand for this purpose. They roost, 

 as a rule, nearer the ground than the Redwing. I 

 have known them roost on the ground, like Larks, 

 both amongst grass and in shorn stubbles. They 

 leave again in flocks for their northern breeding 

 haunts from the middle of April to early in May, 

 and are occasionally seen on our east coast as late as 

 the second week in that month. 



35. TURDUS MUSICUS, Linnaeus. Song-Thrush. 

 Provincial. Throstle. 

 Everywhere common, excepting in the open 



