MERULIDJE. 59 



made about the foot of the tree that anyone's atten- 

 tion must be called to it. 



This is a bold, pugnacious, noisy bird, driving 

 most other birds from the vicinity of its nest, and 

 also from the thorn or other bush, on the berries of 

 which it may be feeding. 



The food of the Missel Thrush consists chiefly of 

 berries of all sorts, especially those of the misletoe : 

 it also eats worms, slugs, beetles, grasshoppers and 

 other insects. 



It is a rather handsome bird, although there is a 

 good deal of sameness in the colouring. The beak 

 is dark horn colour, the under mandibles inclining 

 to yellow at the base ; the irides are hazel ; all the 

 upper parts, including the tail, which is perhaps 

 a shade darker, are greyish brown ; greater and 

 lesser wing-coverts and all the quills dull brown, 

 the feathers being all edged with yellowish white, 

 which edging is broader immediately after the 

 autumnal moult, before the feathers are worn ; all 

 the under parts are yellowish white, regularly 

 spotted with dusky, the spots being formed by the 

 tip of each feather being dusky; under wing- 

 coverts white ; under tail-coverts yellowish white ; 

 under surface of the wings and tail a sort of silver- 

 grey ; legs and toes light brown ; claws dark brown. 

 In the young bird, as is the case with so many 

 species, the upper surface is more marked than in 

 the adult. 



