528 CLASS AVES. 



There are many accidental varieties of this species, in M'hlch 

 white predominates more or less. 



The Redwing has been sometimes confounded with the song- 

 thrush ; but besides that its plumage is somewhat different, 

 its habits and mode of life are analogous to those of. the field- 

 fare. Like the latter, it only appears among us twice a year, 

 unites in numerous flocks at certain hours of the day, to chirrup 

 all together. The redwing has some conformity with the song- 

 thrush in the delicacy of its flesh, and fondness for grapes, and 

 they sometimes travel in company, especially in spring. 



The redwing generally arrives after the song-thrush, and 

 before the fieldfare, from the north. They are seen in con- 

 siderable flocks in November, which usually disappear before 

 Christmas. It re-appears towards spring, in the month of 

 March, and is not seen after April. Its cry is tan, tan, kan, 

 lean. In constantly repeating this cry it leads the fox, its 

 natural enemy, to a considerable distance after it. It has 

 been remarked that it does not sing in our climate, and has 

 only a chirrup very analogous to that of the linnet ; it is said, 

 however, that in its native country its song is very agreeable 

 in the spring season, especially when it perches on the summit 

 of lofty trees. It makes its nest in the woods in the neighbour- 

 hood of Dantzic ; it nestles also, according to Nozemann, in 

 some parts of Holland, and chooses those which are covered 

 with elder and service-trees, of the berries of which it is very 

 fond. It has two broods every year, in the months of April, 

 May and June : each consists of from four to six eggs, of a 

 greenish-blue, and spotted with blackish. It nestles also in 

 Sweden, and places its nest on the small shrubs and in the 

 hedges. While the female hatches, the male hunts, and 

 brings her her food. From the analogy between this bird and 

 the song-thrush, it would seem probable that the male also 

 partakes the care of incubation. Nozemann says that the 

 male and female of this species swallow the excrement of the 

 young while they remain in the nest. This habit is common 



