2 MISSEL THRUSH. 



been known' to successfully drive off hawks and other 

 intruders. Missel Thrushes feed on grain and insects, 

 but they are also very fond of berries and fruit, such 

 as cherries, gooseberries, and raspberries. Meyer re- 

 lates a curious tale with regard to this. In a garden 

 were two whitethorn bushes close together full of 

 berries. For several weeks a Missel Thrush took 

 possession of one of these, driving off in turn any 

 Blackbird or Thrush that attempted to steal a berry, 

 though he raised no objection to them feeding off the 

 other bush, which gradually became bare. After 

 some time, however, a pair of Missel Thrushes ap- 

 peared upon the scene and put to death the single 

 inhabitant of the tree, and in their turn took pos- 

 session. 



He is popularly supposed to feed on the berries of 

 the mistletoe, and Pliny tells us that the seeds of 

 this plant will not grow unless they have previously 

 passed through the intestines of some bird, generally 

 the Missel Thrush ; but this, of course, is not borne 

 out by fact. In the autumn these birds congregate 

 in small flocks, but as the winter advances they dis- 

 perse, and either live alone, or in small parties. 



The Missel Thrush can always be easily distin- 

 guished from any other British Thrush on account 

 of his much larger size. 



The nest is a large one, very similar to the Black- 

 bird's in its construction. The outside is composed 

 of grass, sometimes interwoven with wool, lichen, 

 rushes, and a few small twigs to strengthen it ; on 

 this is placed a coating of mud and clay ; and the 

 whole is lined with a thick carpet of grass. 



The eggs, seldom more than four, but more fre- 

 quently only three or two in number, are bluish-white 



