BRITISH BIRDS. 125 



few brown feathers; the spots on the breast were 

 faint and indistinct ; the quill feathers perfectly 

 white, except one or two on each side, which were 

 broAvn; the tail was marked in a similar manner. 



The Fieldfare is only a visitant in this island, 

 making its appearance about the beginning of 

 October, in order to avoid the rigorous winters of 

 the north, whence it sometimes comes in great 

 flocks, according to the severity of the season, and 

 leaves us about the latter end of February or 

 the beginning of March, and retires to Russia, 

 Sweden, Norway, and as far as Siberia and Kamt- 

 schatka. Buffon observes that they do not arrive 

 in France till the beginning of December, that they 

 assemble in flocks of two or three thousand, and 

 feed on haws and other berries; they likewise eat 

 worms of various kinds. 



Fieldfares seem of a more sociable disposition 

 than the Throstles or the Missels: they are some- 

 times seen singly, but in general form very 

 numerous flocks, and fly in a body; and though 

 in open weather they often spread themselves 

 through the fields in search of food, they seldom 

 lose sight of each other, but, when alarmed, fly off, 

 and collect together upon the same tree. 



