OBSERVATIONS ON BI11DS. 2/1 



whole season of incubation. These birds do not copulate on trees, nor 

 in their nests, but on the ground in the open fields. WHITE. 



After the first brood of rooks are sufficiently fledged, they all leave 

 their nest trees in the day-time, and resort to some distant place in 

 search of food, but return regularly every evening, in vast flights, to 

 their nest trees, where, after flying round several times with much 

 noise and clamour till they are all assembled together, they take up 

 their abode for the night. MARKWICK. 



THRUSHES. 



Thrushes during long droughts are of great service in hunting out 

 shell snails, which they pull to pieces for their young, and are thereby 

 very serviceable in gardens.* Missel thrushes 'do not destroy the fruit 

 in gardens like the other species of turdi, but feed on the berries of 

 miseltoe, and in the spring on ivy berries, which then begin to ripen. 

 In the summer, when their young become fledged, they leave neigh- 

 bourhoods, and retire to sheep-walks and wild commons. 



The magpies, when they have young, destroy the broods of missel 

 thrushes, though the dams are fierce birds, and fight boldly in defence 

 of their nests. It is probably to avoid such insults, that this species 

 of thrush, though wild at other times, delights to build near houses, 

 and in frequented walks and gardens. WHITE. 



Of the truth of this I have been an eye-witness, having seen the 

 common thrush feeding on the shell snail. 



In the very early part of this spring (1797) a bird of this species 

 used to sit every morning on the top of some high elms close by my 

 windows, and delight me with its charming song, attracted thither, 

 probably, by some ripe ivy berries that grew near the place. 



I have remarked something like the latter fact, for I remember, 

 many years ago, seeing a pair of these birds fly up repeatedly and 

 attack some larger bird, which I suppose disturbed their nest in my 

 orchard, uttering at the same time violent shrieks. Since writing the 

 above, I have seen more than once a pair of these birds attack some 

 magpies that had disturbed their nest, with great violence and loud 

 shrieks. MARKWICK. 



POULTRY. 



Many creatures are endowed with a ready discernment to see what 

 will turn to their own advantage and emolument : and often discover 

 more sagacity than could be expected. Thus my neighbour's poultry 

 watch for waggons loaded with wheat, and running after them, pick 



* Snails, particularly the animal of Helix nemoralis is a favourite food of the 

 song thrush. They break the shell by repeated strokes upon a stone, and it is 

 a curious habit that particular stones are selected, probably from something 

 being convenient in their position ; these are resorted to regularly, and small 

 heaps of the broken shells may be seen around them. 



