244 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



in the evening each flock has its own roosting-place 

 — ^its own trees and bushes where the members of 

 the flock can still keep together and to which after 

 each aerial performance they can return. The flock 

 comes back to sleep on its own tree, and no doubt 

 every couple roosts side by side on its own twig. 



On the return of Spring the birds do not migrate 

 in a body, but slip away, flock by flock, to reappear 

 about the end of April in their old breeding-place in 

 the North Country, with, perhaps, the loss of a few 

 members — ^the one that was old and died in the 

 season of scardty ; and one that was taken at the 

 roost by a brown owl, and one that had its feet 

 frozen to the perch and was killed by a jackdaw 

 when struggling to free itself; and one that was 

 struck down by a sparrow-hawk on his homeward 

 journey. 



What I have so far been unable to trace is the 

 career of the young after August. We see that once 

 they are able to fend for themselves they club 

 together in small flocks and continue together during 

 their " brown thrush " stage, but by and by they 

 get the adult plumage and language and are no 

 longer distinguishable as young. Do they, then, join 

 the old birds before the wandering and migrating 

 south begins i And do they pair or not before the 

 winter i 



