THE COMMON OR SONG THRUSH. 139 



predilection for such food is far from being limited to these species. 

 The beautiful Helix arbustorum, whose delicate shell is much more 

 easily broken than that of the others, is an especial favourite. So 

 eagerly is it sought for by the thrush, (and probably also by the 

 blackbird,) that in some localities, in which the fragments of broken 

 shells first announced to me its contiguity, I have found it difficult 

 to obtain specimens after the successful foraging of the birds. 



In addition to the naked or externally shelless snails, insects 

 (coleoptera, larvse, chrysalides), worms, seeds, and soft vegetable 

 matter, the smaller Helices and other land shells form in winter 

 a very considerable portion of the thrush's food.* Prom a single 

 stomach I have taken the Helix cellaria, H pur a, and H. radiata, 

 in addition to Limacelli; and have similarly met with the Buli- 

 mus lubricus, and Vitrina pellucida. I once, at the end of 

 February, found several specimens of this last species in one 

 bird; which contained also five shells of Limaces, (the snails 

 themselves being wholly digested,) a coleopterous and another 

 insect, together with chrysalides and larvae. 



The intelligent gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (Down), re- 

 marked to me in 1836, that when living in Ayrshire some years 

 before that time with the Marquess of Bute, he had seen 

 four pair of cream-coloured thrushes in one season; that they 

 bred and had also young of the same colour, some of which were 

 attempted to be reared, but unsuccessfully. They were observed 

 but in the one season. 



It is interesting to remark how birds will follow their nests 

 when removed from their original situations, as in the instances 

 about to be related, which occurred in the neighbourhood of Belfast. 

 In May, 1847, a thrush's nest built in a tree at a considerable 

 height from the ground, was, when containing five eggs, brought 

 down about six feet and placed on a branch. The bird followed 

 it and sat on the eggs as usual. It was then brought down eight 

 or nine feet lower, until it could be looked into by a person stand- 

 ing on the ground ; the bird followed it here also, and continued 



* Since these notes were first published, Mr. Macgillivray has remarked that " He- 

 lix aspersa, hortensis, nemoralis, supply great part of its food in winter," p. 133. 



