174 Wald Life in a Southern County. 
the resource of flight, weak and unable even to 
scramble fast through the long grass, betraying their 
presence by continually crying for food, they are 
exposed to dangers from every species of vermin. 
The missel-thrush is a bold, determined bird, and 
does his utmost in the defence of his offspring. 
When the young birds fall out of the nest (so soon as 
one has clambered over, the others quickly follow), 
the parents rarely leave the orchard together. One 
or other is almost always close at hand. If any 
enemy approaches they immediately set up an angry 
chattering, by which noise you may at once know 
what is going on. I have seen two missel-thrushes 
attack a crow in this way. The crow came and 
perched upon a bough within a yard of their nest, 
which contained young. The old birds were there 
immediately, and they so annoyed and buffeted the 
murderous robber that he left without achieving his 
fell purpose. 
The cat is the worst enemy of the missel-thrush. 
It is noticeable that while these thrushes will attack 
anything that flies they are not so bold on the ground, 
but seem afraid to alight. They will strike even at 
the human hand that touches their nest. The crow, 
strong as he is, they courageously drive away ; but 
the enemy that stealthily approaches along the ground 
to the helpless young bird in the grass they cannot 
resist. On the wing they can retreat quickly if 
pressed ; on the ground they cannot move so swiftly, 
