THE THRUSH. 83 



the hill-sides, where water must perforce be somewhat 

 scarce. 



The nest is generally placed in a hedgerow or thicket, 

 or in furze ; but the position is varied, and greatly depends 

 upon circumstances. Sometimes they are very shy in their 

 choice of a nesting-place, and again will at times select a 

 position which demands from them the most fearless confi- 

 dence: some having placed their nest in a shrub or bush in 

 a garden, or near a house, where it was possible for passers- 

 by to observe their eggs or young. The nest is formed 

 externally of small twigs, fine roots, green moss, and 

 leaves, with a lining of mud. The eggs are generally five 

 or six in number, of a light greenish-blue colour, speckled 

 with black spots, especially at the larger end, where they 

 often form a well-defined ring. 



The young are fed with exemplary assiduity by the 

 parents, chiefly upon insects, until, being able to provide 

 for themselves, they are thrown upon their own resources 

 by the old birds, who start building another nest. 



The usual food of the Thrush is such as to make it 

 especially valuable to the gardener and husbandman ; for 

 although in summer it may feed upon different kinds of 

 fruit, yet its diet chiefly consists of insects, caterpillars, 

 worms, and snails ; among the latter especially may be in- 

 cluded those that so greatly infest wall-fruit trees (notably 

 apricots and peaches). The shell of this snail, however, is 

 comparatively hard; and the Thrush, therefore, to obtain 

 the dainty within, dashes the shell against a large 

 stone in a most adroit manner, until the shell is crushed. 

 Hence, it may be freely admitted that the few fruits 

 purloined in summer have been well earned. In winter 

 the Thrush feeds principally upon snails and berries. 



