Queries and Answers. 193" 



be covered with water free from any brackish properties : to effect which, it 

 must be sunk by weights attached to the bill and feet. It must be suffered 

 to remain until perfectly saturated and softened, which may be considered 

 to be accomplished when the toes can be straightened, and the bill opened 

 with gentle force. I have found 18 hours to be sufficient for the largest birds, 

 and 3 or 4 for the smallest. The skin must then be hung up by the beak for 

 a short time, to allow the water to drain off, and must afterwards be com- 

 pletely buried, for at least 12 hours, in plaster of Paris. This will come off in 

 large flakes or cakes on being touched, and any small remaining particles are 

 easily brushed off with a feather. I have invariably found the skin to be 

 much benefited by this process, and to have every appearance of being fresh 

 taken from the body. The plaster of Paris, at least the crusted parts, cannot 

 be used a second time. I strongly recommend the use of plaster of Paris 

 in skinning birds : it keeps the skin clean, by absorbing the blood and grease, 

 which might otherwise come in contact with the feathers. — Edward P. 

 Thompson, Dec. 8. 1829. 



The Cuckoo. — To what country does the cuckoo migrate during our 

 autumn and winter, and does she lay her single egg in her new abode, as 

 she does here ? — W. H. White. Bedford, Nov. 25. 1829. 



The Missel Thrush. — Sir, I should be glad to enquire, through the medium 

 of your valuable Magazine, if any of your correspondents has ever taken 

 the trouble to ascertain whether the missel-thrush (Turdus visctvorus) is 

 to be classed among the number of our songsters. I believe it to be the 

 generally received opinion that it is nofy and a very close observer of nature 

 (the author of The Journal of a Naturalist) remarks that " it seems to have 

 no song, no voice, but a harsh predictive note ; " as if he alluded merely to 

 that harsh grating cry which they often utter, and especially when collected 

 together in numbers during the autumn. I have also spoken to several 

 persons on the subject, who have given their attention to the notes of birds, 

 and have scarcely met with one who does not consider the bird in question 

 to be totally, devoid of song, and to be no more a contributor to the music of 

 the woods than the jay or magpie. Now, in spite of all this united evidence 

 against me, I am bold enough to maintain that it has a perfect song, and 

 shall be extremely gratified to find any one who will bear me out in this 

 assertion. I have never been able to approach the bird while in the act of 

 singing, since from its always selecting the summit of a tree for that pur- 

 pose, and being of a very shy disposition, it has always flown off before I. 

 could get near enough to inspect it ; but from its peculiar darting mdde of 

 flying, I am convinced in my own mind that it was the missel-thrush. The 

 note resembles that of the blackbird more than the common thrush, and is, 

 I believe, generally mistaken for the former ; but it is much louder and less 

 mellow, and free from that warbling nature so peculiar to the blackbird. Its 

 song seems to consist of only three or four notes, which it continues to repeat 

 over and over again, for, perhaps, half an hour together, with scarcely any 

 variation, pausing for a second between every stave, till the ear is almost 

 wearied with its monotony : on which account it gives one more the idea of 

 being a young blackbird which has not yet acquired its perfect song. It also 

 begins to sing much earlier in the year than either the thrush or blackbird, 

 and generally in very wild cold weather. I remember once, in particular, 

 hearing it in the week after Christmas-day in the year 1827, when the trees 

 were loaded with one of the heaviest hoar-frosts I ever witnessed, singing 

 as merrily as if it had mistaken the snowy covering for the more grateful 

 shape of the summer foliage. There also appeared to be another in the dis- 

 tance, which continued to answer it for some time. It generally discon- 

 tinued its song at the end of May, but I have heard it this year as late as 

 the end of June. I am. Sir, &c. — ./. B. Aug. 4. 1829. 



Turdus musicus. — I have often been surprised on finding a quantity of 

 snail-shells, broken into small bits, chiefly the Helix nemoralis, on a bank 



Vol. III. — No. 12. n 



