Breeding of the Oranqe-lieaded Ground Thrush, etc. 35


came to the threshold, hopped on to the path, took a mealworm

from my feet and flew back to his young. So far so good. Next

time I sprinkled some mealworms about and stood aside, out came

our friend again, picked up all he could and once more returned to

his family ; during this time the hen was brooding the young, for

which I was thankful, as I was not quite so certain of her, and

rightly as my readers will see if they will bear with me a little

longer.


At his next outing I had the pleasure of seeing my American

Eobin perfectly at home in the midst of an English rock garden,

hunting successfully amongst Saxifrages, Helianthemums, Pinks and

a hosts of other plants new to him, but doubtless containing much

that he liked, for again he returned to his family.


Now comes what is to me a source of continual regret (but

shall I be cured ?) The hen appeared at the aviary door and came

right out, she had no intention of doing wrong or of being un-

motherly, but she had not been drilled as had the cock, and after

collecting a few insects did not seem to know her way back; that

she wanted to return I know, else why did she not swallow that

beakful of insects (birds are not entomologists or coleopterists).

Just as the poor thing was at the height of her distress, fully shared

by myself, some kind friend thought fit to enter the garden, not with

due respect and quietly, but noisily and with banging of gates ; this

was more than the frantic mother could stand, and off she flew over

the aviary and out of sight. I searched the neighbourhood and

called at various cottages, but no sign of my bird from that day to

this. I hope that she may be happy in the wilds of Windsor

Forest, where perhaps she may set up house-keeping' with a British

blackbird, or will her migratory instinct carry her away over the

sea as it did the birds of this species liberated at Woburn Abbey.


But I too am wandering. The widowed cock was of course

promptly shut in in the hope that he might bring off the young,

but I saw from the first that he was absolutely desole, he took not

the slightest notice of his erstwhile beloved family and banged him¬

self about against the wires like a newly-caught bird ; still I left

him, and next morning shortly after dawn I removed two poor little

half-frozen birds, which I fed and then placed in our heated linen



