56 TREATISE ON 



passed through this bird, and that the plant grows 

 quicker and stronger after that process, than when 

 it is engrafted by man. We certainly have seen 

 it several times engrafted near Edinburgh, but 

 always without success. Tlie misle-bird is, ex- 

 cept in size, so like the song-thrush in the colour 

 of the plumage and general appearance, that we 

 think a sieparate description unnecessary. The 

 female begins early in March to construct her 

 nest, which is commonly placed on trees thickly 

 covered with grey lichen. It is composed of small 

 pieces of sticks, rotten fibrous roots of shrubs, 

 with the earth adhering to tUem, wool and coarse 

 grass, interwoven with great art, and always co- 

 vered on the outside with grey lichen or greenish- 

 white moss; — ^the inside is lined \vith grass or 

 hair. In this commodious, warm mansion, the 

 female misle-thrush deposits fi-om four to five 

 eggs, of a pale but dingy flesh-red, marked, espe- 

 cially at the large end, with hyacinth-red, and 

 deep orange-coloured brown spots. This bii'd, 

 when intended for the cage, ought to be reared 

 from the nest, and the young may be taken about 

 twelve days old. Their treatment, and that of the 

 old birds, as to food, diseases, &c. is the same as 

 that recommended for the song-^thrush. The missel- 



