Birds of Foriwilliam Park. 37 



in Africa, and in districts where the locust abounds, it feeds almost 

 exclusively on that insect. 



The song-thrush is also to a great extent migratory. On the 

 arrival of winter these birds collect in small companies and leave 

 us for Palestine and Algeria, returning about the end of Feb- 

 ruary, though a few remain in the shrubberies throughout the 

 year. 



The red-wing, a winter visitant, which comes to us about the 

 time the song-thrush leaves, is often mistaken for it. The song 

 of the red-wing, which has earned for that bird the title of 

 " Swedish Nightingale," is often heard in the Park about the 

 beginning of April. 



A curious fact in the migratory movements of the field-fare, 

 another winter visitant, was recorded in the last " Migration 

 Report." At Rathlin O'Birne island between the 18th and 

 23rd December, 1885, immense flocks of field-fares, accompanied 

 by starlings and song-thrushes, were seen by the light-house 

 keeper flying to the west. The nearest land to the west of that 

 island is America. 



The robin presents a striking instance of the variability of the 

 migratory instinct. Although resident in the British Islands, 

 as a species it is largely migratory. They have been seen 

 passing over the island of Heligoland in flocks during Septem- 

 ber. The robin is the earliest warbler to reach Sweden. As a 

 songster the robin is said to be " of the royal line of the 

 nightingale." 



The grasshopper warbler, a regular summer migrant, though 

 a rare visitor, nested last year in the Park. The intelligence of 

 the whole warbler tribe is said to be remarkable. Two of the 

 continental warblers in some districts invariably work a piece 

 of snake's slough into the structure of their nests — a notice, it 

 is supposed, to marauding lizards to beware of snakes ; and fish- 

 scales have been found in some of the nests. The song of the 

 grasshopper warbler is said to be so like that of the large grass- 

 hopper as scarcely to be distinguished from it, and in countries 

 where those insects are found the bird is supposed to use its 

 note to lure them. 



