188 MERULIDA. 
by a naked membrane. Wings with the first feather very short ; the second fea- 
ther shorter than the third or the fourth, which are the longest. Feet with the 
tarsus longer than the middle toe ; the outer toe connected with the middle toe 
at the base. 
Tue Missex Turusn is one of the largest of the British 
species of Thrush, and though not very numerous anywhere 
is yet very generally diffused, as its range in this country, 
to be hereafter quoted, will evince. It is rather a shy 
bird, frequenting small woods, and the high trees in 
hedges bounding large meadows ; but during the breeding- 
season it becomes bold and quarrelsome, driving away the 
smaller birds in all directions from its haunts, so much 
so as in Wales, according to Pennant, to have acquired the 
name of Penn y llwyn, or, master of the coppice. It is 
resident in this country all the year, and the male com- 
mences his song very early in the season, sometimes in 
February. His strain, which is something like that of the 
Blackbird, but not so good in quality of tone, is repeated 
many times in succession, and generally from the top of some 
lofty oak, beech, or fir tree ; but he has been occasionally 
observed to sing while on the wing, and from a habit of 
giving his song frequently both before and during the 
occurrence of wind and rain, the name of Storm-cock is a 
well-known appellation for the Missel Thrush. It is also 
called the Holm Thrush, probably owing to its partiality to 
the Oak, from the top of which this Thrush will sometimes 
continue to repeat its song for an hour together, and 
occasionally also has its nest in the oak— 
“ The fruitful Olive, and the Platane round ; 
The carver Holm ;* the Maple seldom inward sound.” 
SPENSER. 
A good botanist has reminded me that the red berries 
borne by the plant named Butchers broom, Ruscus aculeatus, 
which grows on bushy commons, are called Holm-berries ; 
* The Holm oak, the evergreen oak, Quercus ilex. 
