THE REDWING. 225 



wings were becoming poorer in condition, more feeble, and still more 

 tame and confiding. But the frost still continued, and they repaired to 

 the banks of the running streams and brooklets; numbers perislicd ; 

 numbers were caught by hand; and eventually they disappeared from 

 many districts altogether, having most probably joined the vast flocks 

 of their congeners that were incessantly passing over the snow-covered 

 landscape in a direct line southwards. Nevertheless the bushes and 

 hedgerows abounded with berries, the Fieldfares seemed scarcely to suffer 

 from the frost, and were always to be seen feeding upon them. It can 

 be only as a last resource, therefore, that the Redwing becomes a berry 

 feeder, except in the autumn when the luscious fruit of the service-tree 

 is ripe. Its winter food is worms and insects ; and where these are to be 

 found the birds will only repair to the bushes and trees when alarmed or 

 in order to roost. The Redwing also feeds on various species of snails. 

 It is a pleasing sight to watch a flock of these birds searching the grass- 

 lands for food. How nimbly they hop amongst the frosted grass, ever in 

 motion, thorough Song-Thrushes in attitude and action, occasionally taking 

 short flights or starting up to look warily round. They are scattered 

 over the entire field, and each is busy searching for its food. If alarmed 

 they fly ofi" in small parties and take refuge in the topmost branches of 

 the nearest trees, and, when the danger is passed, leave their elevated 

 perching-places in the same manner. First one will fly boldly down; 

 others follow, and so on, until the whole flock is again engaged feeding 

 as before. One or two birds sometimes remain behind in the trees near to 

 which the main flock is feeding. These do duty as sentinels, and utter 

 alarm-notes on the approach of danger, at which the birds take wing. 

 Even if fired at, the Redwing will soon return to its favourite feediug- 

 ground. 



The rich wild notes of the Redwing are always pleasant to the ear as they 

 are borne hither and thither by the breeze. True, the song may not be so 

 varied as that of the Song-Thrush, nor so rich and powerful as that of the 

 Blackbird, nor yet so wild and free as the " Stormcock's " lay ; but it has 

 a rich sweetness about it which justly calls forth the praises of all who 

 have had the pleasure of listening to the strain. Its low warbling song 

 is usually preceded by whistling call-notes, or a few guttural cries, as the 

 bird sits on the topmost spray of a pine tree. Dixon gives an instance of 

 this bird singing in this country ; he writes : — " I know not whether the 

 song of this bird is frequeully heard in the winter months; but with me 

 it is certainly of the rarest occurrence. I have given the birds my 

 closest attention ; but their song has only once greeti d my ear. It was one 

 of those sunny days in December, when every thing around almost put me 

 in mind of the coming spiing — the Robin chanting his delightful notes far 

 up in the naked branches, and the little Wren pouriiig forth his jerking 



VOL. I. <■! 



