278 INSECTIVOR.E. 



the thrushes and blackbirds search them out, that the hedge 

 side is marked by a line of broken shells, as the birds fetch 

 the snails out, and batter the shells to pieces with their bills. 

 In the dead of winter this is carried on, in open weather, 

 during the whole day ; but if January is open, and warm, 

 and sunny, they may be seen suspending their labours about 

 mid-day, perching on the hedges, or hedge-row trees, and 

 warbling their clear, melodious, and variable song ; yet a 

 change of weather a fall of snow especially makes them 

 mute again for a space : and they have recourse to their 

 vegetable food, which does not appear to stimulate them so 

 much ; as those that are in situations where they must 

 depend chiefly on that, do not come into song till the season 

 is farther advanced, and the slugs and worms have begun to 

 make their appearance. 



When the situation and the season are both favourable, 

 the birds are in full song early in February ; and as there 

 are generally two, and not unfrequently three broods of 

 young in the year, the song continues till the beginning of 

 October : and though the same bird does not sing during the 

 whole time, yet there are always thrushes in song from the 

 middle of January to that of October, if the weather is 

 favourable. Indeed, one or two very fine days are sufficient 

 to excite the thrush into song at any time of the winter. 



During the hatching of the young, the male is as attentive 

 and industrious as the missel-thrush : and as the birds are 

 more numerous, they have to bustle more for food. They are 

 then up betimes. Their favourite prey finds its food during 

 the night, and retires before the heat of the morning is too 

 severe for the slimy secretion, which it uses not only as glue, 

 but also as a cable, and sometimes as a highway. The dis- 

 tance to which it can contrive to crawl is not small, con- 

 sidering that it has only one foot, and is burdened with its 

 house ; but the coming drought invariably sends it home, 



