12 



10 



of various plants.' Now, although I have opened many hundreds of berry-eating and seed eating 

 birds, among which were probably sixty or more Thrushes of various species, I have never, but in 

 two instances, which have been already mentioned, found an entire seed in the intestines. The 

 gizzard of the Thrushes is sufficiently powerful to grind into a paste the seeds of any fruit which 

 they might eat; and I do not believe that nature ever uses this method of dispersing plants, 

 simply because no person has ever actually observed seeds to germinate after being passed by 

 birds, because seeds could escape from the action of the stomach only in carnivorous or piscivorous 

 species, and by no means in frugivorous or granivorous, whose gizzards act like millstones, and, 

 lastly, because mere fancies ought on no account to be admitted as facts." 



The late Mr. Charles Waterton has also given an account of the present bird, from which 

 we make the following extracts : — 



" Should it be the case, in ornithology, that Nature has ordered the male to sing his female 

 to repose, there are some exceptions to the supposed general rule. I may adduce the Stormcock 

 by way of example; for he warbles nearly the year throughout. I have often heard him pour 

 forth his wild and plaintive notes in the months of August, October, November, and December, 

 and in every following month, until the sun has entered into Cancer, at which period he seems 

 to unstring his lyre for a few weeks. Towards the close of December his song is particularly 

 charming ; and it becomes more frequent as the new year advances. I remember well (indeed, I 

 noted down the circumstance) that on December 21, 1827, his carol was remarkably attractive. 

 He warbled incessantly from the top of a lofty elm, just as the poor from a neighbouring village 

 were receiving corn under it, in memory of St. Thomas the Apostle. In the olden time, it was a 

 common practice throughout the land to distribute corn to the needy on the day in which the 

 festival of this glorious saint is kept. At present the good dole seems fast approaching to its 

 latter end. Probably in a few years more it will fall a victim to the times, and be trodden under 

 foot in the modern march of intellect. 



" This bird, though usually known by the name of the Misseltoe-Thrush in many parts of 

 England, is invariably called the Stormcock by all the lower orders in our neighbourhood, — not 

 that it delights in storms more than in fine weather, but that Nature has taught it to pour forth 

 its melody at a time of the year when the bleak winds of winter roar through the leafless trees. 

 Should, however, a few days of calm and warmth succeed to the chilling blast, then the Stormcock 

 is heard to sing, if any thing, more sweetly than before. 



"The Stormcock is a decided inhabitant of trees, except sometimes when in quest of food ; 

 for at that time he may be seen on the ground, and in berry-bearing shrubs. But in shrubs I 

 have never been able to find his nest, which is generally placed either in the forked branches of 

 the forest trees, or in those of the larger fruit trees, sometimes very high up, and sometimes 

 within 5 feet of the ground. The outside of the nest is composed of dried grass, to which is 

 added a little green moss ; whilst the inside contains a lining of dried grass alone, on which the 

 the female commonly lays five eggs, speckled over with chocolate-coloured spots, of a lighter and 

 a darker shade, on a greyish green ground. 



" During the period of the breeding-season, the habits of the Stormcock undergo a noted 

 change. At other times of the year, except in cherry-time, and when the seeds of the different 

 species of the service tree are ripe, this bird carefully avoids the haunts of man ; but no sooner 



