IN GARDEN, PARK, AND SHRUBBERY. 31 



fields, wandering from one district to another as 

 the food supply may vary. Bat with the spring 

 his errantry and his wariness forsake him, and 

 with a trustfulness made the more remarkable by 

 contrast with his former shyness he comes to our 

 orchards and shrubberies, and builds his nest 

 often in the most exposed and frequented situa- 

 tions. The Missel - thrush is a tree - builder, 

 rarely making his home even in the larger bushes 

 and shrubs. The nest, made early in April or 

 even at the end of March, is the most beautiful of 

 all the Thrushes' nests, is built of a variety of 

 materials, from green chickweed and moss to 

 grass and masses of wool. Like the nest of its 

 congeners, it is lined first with mud and then with 

 long fine grass, much of it green, and often a few 

 twigs are woven in the rim to strengthen it. The 

 eggs are invariably four in number, bluish green 

 or pale buff in ground colour, spotted with reddish 

 brown and gray. Nests of this bird may often be 

 found as late as June ; hence it is probable that 

 two or more broods are reared yearly. The food 

 of the Missel-thrush is very similar to that of the 

 preceding species, but berries are more largely 

 partaken of. 



Our last two species are migrants. Of these 

 the REDWING (T. iliacus] is certainly the best AH 

 known and the most familiar. It is much smaller district*. 

 and grayer than the Song Thrush ; the spots 

 underneath are neither so large nor so boldly 

 defined ; whilst the very distinct pale eyestripe is 

 also an easily observed characteristic. The 

 chestnut - red flanks and axillaries, when they 

 chance to be observed, are also unfailing marks 

 of distinction. This little Thrush (the smallest 



