AMONG THE BIRDS IN WINTER. 277 



season. Some of the most remarkable of these 

 migrations are made by the Song Thrush and the song 

 Blackbird. These are all the more interesting 

 because they are, strictly speaking, confined to 

 winter, and are as yet very imperfectly understood. 

 By the beginning of December, almost every 

 Song Thrush has departed, the Redwings having 

 taken their place ; and only an odd bird or so 

 will be met with until the new year is well 

 advanced. In addition to the Song Thrushes 

 that breed in the British Islands, there are many 

 birds of this species pass our country on their 

 way south all appearing to migrate in flocks of 

 varying size, and during the night. In the case 

 of the Blackbird, the movement, though not so 

 universal, is undoubtedly made, and the greater 

 number of these birds are absent from their usual 

 haunts during two out of the three months of 

 winter. Another winter migrant is the Kestrel. 

 This pretty Hawk remains with us as long as 

 mice and beetles are plentiful ; then the majority 

 depart, only an occasional bird being seen until 

 the return of spring. Almost every bird found 

 with us during the winter is more or less a 

 migrant, changing its haunts according to the 

 state of the weather. After a snowstorm the 

 Larks and Buntings will sometimes disappear 

 from their favourite haunts for weeks, only return- 

 ing to them when the weather opens again. 

 Sometimes the Rooks and Starlings will wander 

 off to some distant district, where food chances to 



