64 The Naturalist in Siluria. 



company ; piping out their notes in jealous rivalry, as 

 human vocalists on the stage of the opera-house or concert- 

 room. And why not wild ones the same ? 



PROOF POSITIVE OF THRUSHES BEING 

 SCARCE. 



If, beyond the facts above set forth, I had needed other 

 evidence to assure mo of the Song Thrush being now in 

 diminished numbers, I have got it in a way convincing, 

 as curious. Some days ago, chancing to be within ear- 

 shot of two boys, one of them the most noted nest-robber 

 of my neighbourhood, I overheard a snatch of dialogue 

 to the following effect : — 



" Wonderful few o' the singin^ Thrushes be about this 

 year, Jim." 



" What make 'ee think that, Dick ? " 



"'Cause I hain't foun' a nest o' em yet, an' there warn't 

 a many last year, eyther." 



" Theer be plenty o' the mistletoes ; more'n I've ever 

 seed. I hear 'em screechin' all about farmer's big 

 orchard." 



" Oh ! bother the mistletoes. They bean't much good j 

 neyther their eggs nor themselves. But the singers ! 

 If I only had a nest o' young 'uns now, I could get five 

 shillin' for 't." 



Dick was the famous bird-nester ; and at this point, 

 discovering myself, I interrupted the dialogue. I called 

 him up, for a spell of cross-questioning. Submitting him 

 to this, I found he was fixed in his idea that the Song 



