BRITISH BIRDS. 127 



spring, and continues during part of the summer. 

 This bold and pleasing songster, from his high 

 station, seems to command the concert of the 

 grove, whilst in the beautiful language of the poet, 



"The Jay, the Rook, the Daw, 



''And each harsh pipe (discordant heard alone) 



" Aid the full concert, while the Stock-Dove breathes 



"A melancholy murmur through the whole." 



The female builds her nest generally in bushes; 

 it is composed of dried grass, with a little earth or 

 clay intermixed, and lined with rotten wood; she 

 lays five or six eggs, of a pale blue colour, marked 

 with dusky spots. 



Although this species is not considered with us 

 as migratory, it has, nevertheless, been observed in 

 some places in great numbers during the spring and 

 summer, where not one was to be seen in the winter, 

 which has induced an opinion that they either shift 

 their quarters entirely, or take shelter in the more 

 retired parts of the woods. The Throstle is migra- 

 tory in France: Buffon says that it appears in 

 Burgundy about the end of September, before the 

 Redwing and Fieldfare, and that it feeds upon the 

 ripe grapes, and sometimes does much damage to 

 the vineyards. The females of all the Thrush kind 

 are very similar to the males, and differ chiefly in a 

 less degree of brilliancy in the colours. 



