408 THROSTLE. Class II. 



but to form its nest descends to some low bush 

 or thicket. The nest is made of earth, moss, 

 and straws, and the inside is curiously plaistered 

 with clay. It lays five or six eggs, of a pale 

 bluish gTeen, marked with dusky spots. 



In France these birds are migratory : in Bur- 

 gundy, they appear just before vintage, in order 

 to feed on the ripe grapes, are therefore called 

 there la Gj^ive de vig?ie: retire at the first frosts, 

 return in March and April, as if it were to 

 disappear again in May. A few stragglers 

 stay to breed. In Italij they arrive in April 

 and May, and return before October. 

 ., " With us it seems to shift its quarters ac- 



cording to the season, but we believe does not 

 depart from the kingdom. The chief food is 

 berries, but in defect of these sometimes eats 

 snails in quantities, and it is not unusual to 

 see numbers of the broken shells together near 

 some particular stone, used by them for the 

 purpose of the more easily breaking them 

 against.* It builds very early ; a nest was 

 found in a garden near Chester the third week in 

 January containing four eggs, on which the 

 bird was sitting." J. L. 

 Var. a. " Two specimens, exactly alike, of a uniform 



LORED.' buff-colored Throstle, with the exception of the 

 breast and vent which are a shade lighter, have 



• Natur. Calend. 6l. 



