4,20 THE BLACKBIRD. 
pressed into the service. Moss, hay, straw, dead leaves, and grasses are 
among the ruling substances that are employed for the purpose, and the bird 
often adds manufactured products, such as scraps of rag, paper, or shavings. 
I once found one of these nests that was ingeniously placed in the crown of 
an old hat which had evidently been flung into the tree by some traveller. 
At first, it hardly looked like a nest, but there were a few bits of grass lying 
over the brim that had a very suspicious aspect, and on climbing the tree, 
~ the old hat was proved to have been made the basis of a warm nest, with 
the proper complement of eggs. 
Towards the end of the summer the Missel Thrushes assemble in flocks of 
considerable size, and in the autumn often do great harm to gardens and 
plantations, by devouring the fruit. They are particularly fond of rasp- 
berries and cherries, and have been known entirely to ruin the crop of these 
fruits. They are also fond of the berries of the mountain ash and the 
arbutus, and are so partial to the viscid berries of the mistletoe plant that 
they have been called by its name. Insects of various kinds, caterpillars, 
and spiders also form part of the Missel Thrush’s diet, and a partly-digested 
lizard has been found in the interior of one of these birds. 
The song of the Missel Thrush is rich, loud, clear, and ringing, and is 
often uttered during the stormiest period of the year, the bird seeming to 
prefer the roughest and most inclement weather for the exercise of its voice. 
ANOTHER large example of the British Thrushes is found in the FIELDFARE, 
This bird is one of the migratory species, making only a winter visit to 
this country, and often meeting a very inhospitable reception from the gun 
of the winter sports-boy. Very seldom is it seen in this country till 
November, and is often absent until the cold month of December, when it 
makes its appearance in great flocks, searching eagerly for food over the 
fields. When the snow lies heavily upon the fields, this bird betakes itself 
to the hedge-rows and outskirts of woods and copses, and there feeds on the 
various berries that have survived the autumn. During this inclement 
season the Fieldfare may be approached and shot without much difficulty. 
Their shyness, however, depends greatly on the amount of persecution which 
they have sustained. 
In its colour the Fieldfare bears a decided resemblance to the generality of 
tne Thrushes. The upper parts of the body as far as the shoulders are ashen 
grey, dotted with dark-prown spots upon the head ; the back and wings are 
rich brown, and the tail is dark blackish brown. The chin and throat are a 
peculiar golden hue, not unlike amber, and covered with numerous black 
streaks ; the breast is reddish brown, also spotted with black, and the abdo- 
men and under parts are white, spotted on the flanks and under tail-coverts 
with brown of various shades. The Fieldfare is not quite so large a bird as 
the Missel Thrush, being about ten inches in total length. 
AMONG the best-known and best-loved of our British songsters, the 
BLACKBIRD is one of the most conspicuous. 
This well-known bird derives its popular name from the uniformly black 
hue of its plumage, which is only relieved by the bright orange-coloured bill 
of the male bird. The song of this creature is remarkable for its full mellow- 
ness of note, and is ever a welcome sound to the lover of nature and her 
vocal and visual harmonies. 
The Blackbird feeds usually on insects, but it also possesses a great love 
of fruit, and in the autumn ravages the gardens and orchards in a most de- 
structive manner, picking out all the best and ripest fruit, and wisely leaving 
the still immatured produce to ripen on the branches. 
The nest of this bird is made very early in the spring, and is always care- 
fully placed in the centre of some thick bush, a spreading holly-tree being a 
