138 IAMILIAR WILD BIRDS. 



and Wales, and generally arrives on our shores with an 

 easterly or north-easterly wind. 



In Poland, Prussia, and Austria the Fieldfare is said 

 to remain throughout the entire year. In France, Switzer- 

 land, and the south of Europe, the bird is purely a winter 

 visitor. The flocks remain in our country until the end 

 of April, although they are occasionally found so late as 

 May. 



The Fieldfare is gregarious in its habits ; it generally 

 associates in parties of some one or two score, and several of 

 these parties may commonly be found sufficiently near each 

 other as to merit the description of a large flock. Some- 

 times they assemble in very large numbers indeed, and 

 now and then an isolated bird or two may be seen feeding 

 with other members of the thrush tribe. 



These birds are naturally of a wary, cautious disposition, 

 generally frequenting the cultivated districts, and usually 

 feeding in some open place, where an unobserved approach 

 is extremely difficult. As the cold increases in severity 

 they become much tamer, and visit gardens and lawns in 

 search of food. 



The food of the Fieldfare consists of various substances, 

 chief amongst which may be enumerated small snails, 

 beetles, grubs, worms, seeds, and such berries as those 

 of the mountain ash, hawthorn, holly, and ivy. The 

 flight is not very rapid, and consists of a series of gentle 

 undulations, the wings being rapidly flapped about a dozen 

 times, and then rested. The birds usually wheel round in 

 the air for a little time before coming to the ground, utter- 

 ing a harsh cry whilst so doing. When the bird settles on the 

 ground, its movements are extremely characteristic : the 

 tail is a little depressed, the wings droop a little, and the 



