130 Merulidce. 



Like the Missel Thrush, they are very bold and pugnacious in 

 breeding-time, screaming, chattering, and darting within a few 

 inches of my hat as I climbed to their nests ; at other times they 

 are remarkably shy. They are the last to arrive of all our winter 

 visitants, seldom making their appearance till near the end of 

 November, and they are the last to leave us in the spring. 

 They come next to the Missel Thrushes in size, and are very 

 distinguishable by the dove-coloured patch on the head and tail, 

 and the bright spotted yellow on the throat and breast. 



In one respect they differ from all their congeners, in that on 

 winter evenings they assemble from great distances, arriving in 

 flocks just before dusk at some favourite spot, and there roost on 

 the ground, after the manner of larks, generally among heath 

 and coarse grass and tall rushes, or even on stubbles. This is 

 the more remarkable as they sit on trees during the day, and 

 procure the greater part of their food from the hedges and 

 bushes, and invariably build on trees, though generally not far 

 from the ground.* The meaning of the specific word pilarla I 

 cannot fathom, nor does the Committee of the B.O.U. help me. 

 There is, indeed, a Latin word pilaris, ' of or belonging to a ball,' 

 but I see no connection between that and this handsome thrush. 

 Of the meaning of ' fieldfare,' ' a traverser of the fields or fallows/ 

 there is no question. The word ' to fare,' meaning ' to travel/ is 

 obsolete now, but we see traces of it, not only in ' field/are,' but 

 in 'farewell' i.e., 'speed you well'; and the coach or railway 

 fare, i.e., ' the price of a ticket for travelling.' In Germany it is 

 known as Wachholder Drossel, 'Watchman Thrush,' from the 

 constant look-out it keeps against surprise; in France Merle 

 litorne, and in Sweden Bjork Trast, ' Birch Thrush,' but is more 

 popularly known as Sno Skata, ' Snow Magpie/ the former part 

 of the designation derived from the belief that when it appears 

 in large numbers, hard, snowy weather is pending ; the latter 

 from its unusual length of tail, and the magpie-like chattering it 

 constantly keeps up, particularly in the vicinity of its nest. For 



'Birds of the Humber,' by Cordeaux, p. 21 ; Zoologist for 1885, p. 335 ; 

 Harticg's edition of White's ' Selborne,' p. {?!>. 



