THE SMALLER INLAND BIRDS. 



paper in 1880, particulars of which will be found 

 in the foot-note at the bottom of this page.* Local 

 name "shebster." 



COMMON THRUSH. Common by name and common by nature. Local 

 name "throstle." Mr. Clarke has a specimen in 

 one of his cases of a light cream colour all over. 



MISSEL THRUSH. I have never seen the nest of this bird in Formby. 

 Occasionally seen. 



FIELDFARE. Plentiful during migration time. 



WHEATEAR. Commonly known as the "whit-tail." This bird can 

 be easily snared by setting horsehair slipnooses on some 

 bank from which the outer " crust " of sand has been 

 scraped away. They will fly back to the place out 

 of sheer curiosity. 



REDWING. When skating on the slacks in the severe winter of 

 1890-91, G. Rheam and the writer ran down scores of 

 redwings and fieldfares, which were so weak as to 

 be scarcely able to get out of our way. I fear the 

 thaw came too late for hundreds of them, for the 

 destruction to bird life during that period of ice and 

 snow must have been enormous. 



*Re "CURIOUS NEST OF A STARLING." On one occasion I remember finding the nest of a starling in 

 a very curious place. There was a few years ago, and some remains are there even now, the wreck 

 of a brig on our shore, which, I think, was called the " Virago." She was quite surrounded by the 

 water at half-tide, and at high water she would be fully half-a-mile from the shore. But in her strong 

 oaken timbers a pair of starlings had thought proper to build their nest, and I have frequently 

 listened to their youthful chatterings within the ceiling of the battered wreck. Luckily the weather 

 continued fine during the hatching season, for anything approaching a gale would have produced a 

 swell sufficient to have immersed the feathered mariners beneath every wave, I have reason to believe, 

 however, that they were reared succesfully, left their seaside home in peace." J. W. Field, 1880. It 

 was in this same wreck, I believe, that the following incident occurred, showing how closely the com- 

 ical treads on the heels of the tragical in this world. The brother of our then gardener, happening 



had made his teeth meet in the hand of the intruder upon his privacy. 



NOTE BY WRITER. It must be remembered that the majority of these notes are by my father. 



