THE THRUSH 197 



little incident which happened at Marie Hall, Llandudno, 

 then a private residence. The former owner related the 

 story, which I give here as nearly as possible in his own 

 words. 



" While walking in the grounds, three Thrushes came 

 flying excitedly to and fro in front of me, so close that I 

 could have caught them. Following their movements, I 

 noticed that their course was always over my dog, a 

 puppy, which was lying on the grass. Each bird as it 

 passed struck at him with its wings. Going to the dog, I 

 found that it held between its mouth and feet a young- 

 Thrush, fully fledged but not able to fly. I took the bird, 

 quite unharmed, from the dog, placed it in the bush, gave 

 the dog a little scolding, went my way, and thought no 

 more about it. 



" Next morning, seated at breakfast, I heard the clut- 

 tering of a bird just outside a door opening on to a terrace 

 garden. Looking through the glass, I saw a Thrush 

 hopping about. I opened the door and walked slowly 

 forward. The bird hopped a yard or so in front. I re- 

 traced my steps, walking backwards. The bird followed. 

 Again I did this, and again the bird followed me." 



Then the gentleman, with a relative, left the breakfast' 

 table and went out into the grounds. The bird flew on 

 before, looking round occasionally to make sure they were 

 coming. So they went on, for a distance of some sixty 

 yards, when the cause of the bird's strange conduct was 

 seen. The little dog had found the young Thrush again, 

 or another of the brood, and was lying mumbling it, in 

 exactly the same place. 



The bird was not injured at all, and was soon rescued 

 and placed in a tree, where it was joined by its anxious 

 parent. As the writer remarked : " The Thrush had evi- 



