THE STORMCOCK. 251 



to enjoy the warmth of the sun, and now engaged 

 in sportive chase, unbroken-in-upon by enemies, 

 whose sole endeavour is to take their lives. 



NOTES ON THE HABITS OF THE STORMCOCK, 

 OR MISTLETOE THRUSH. 



" Te, dulcis conjux, te solo in littore secum, 

 Te, veniente die, te, decedente, canebat." 

 For thee, sweet mate, for thee he pour'd his lay, 

 At early dawn, and at the close of day. 



IT is a pleasing and ingenious way to account for the 

 song in birds, by supposing that it is given to them 

 by Nature, in order that they may enliven the 

 female during the lonely task of incubation. At that 

 interesting season of the year, one might really 

 imagine that the song of the male is absolutely 

 uxorious ; and, in truth, it may be, for aught I know 

 to the contrary. No cow ever chewed her cud more 

 deliberately than I have weighed this matter in my 

 own mind; and, after all, I am not one jot the 

 wiser. My speculations in April have all been 

 shivered to atoms in November, and I am left in the 

 midst of uncertainty. To-day, I hear a male bird 

 singing close to the bush where his female is on her 

 nest ; and, five months hence, I shall hear a male 

 bird sing, in apparent ecstasy, when the chilling 

 season of the year peremptorily forbids the female 

 to make any preparations for the nursery. Baffled 



