48 



8 



far as the other Thrushes are concerned, excepting Tardus viscivorus in occasional instances." 

 Dresser found the Fieldfare abundant in all parts of Finland, especially in the high north, near 

 Uleaborg, and on the islands outside that town. Late in May and early in June they were 

 breeding ; and fresh eggs were found in most of the nests then taken. They were nesting in 

 the low woods, chiefly near the coast, and often in low swampy places where the clouds of 

 hungry mosquitoes rendered it almost impossible to search after their nests. They were not 

 breeding in regular colonies, although wherever one nest was found, several others were certain 

 to be in the immediate neighbourhood. The nests were generally placed on fir trees or alder 

 bushes, from five to eight feet above the ground, and contained from four to six eggs. Mr. John 

 Henry Gurney, jun., writes to us: — " When I was at St. Petersburg I took a long walk to one 

 of the islands in July, and coming to a wood I saw a beautiful young Fieldfare hanging in a cage 

 outside a house." It is evident, therefore, as indeed might have been expected, that the present 

 species breeds in the neighbourhood of the above-mentioned town. According to Meyer it is 

 common in the Baltic Provinces, where it breeds twice in the year ; on the approach of the cold 

 season it migrates southward, only occasional birds being met with in the winter. 



According to Naumann it is plentiful in Germany, arriving about the middle of October in 

 North Germany from the north-east, and migrating in a south-westerly direction. In Central 

 Germany they pass about the latter part of October to the end of November, a few remaining 

 over winter in mild seasons, migrating northwards in March and April with the enormous flocks 

 that pass up towards the north-east; and by the end of April all have left. Occasionally a few 

 breed in Prussia and Silesia. The latter statement is rather vague, considering the author ; but 

 probably at that time no certainty existed as to the fact. Since Naumann's day, however, positive 

 evidence has been adduced; and the latest work on the birds of Germany, by Dr. Borggreve, 

 contains the following observation: "whereas formerly it was only found in Germany during 

 migration, for the last ten years it has been found breeding in colonies, here and there, in the 

 eastern portion as far as Thuringia. In Western Germany it is found from the end of October to 

 the latter half of March." Dr. Rey tells us that since 1864 it has bred near Halle, at first singly, 

 but now in large colonics in almost all groves in the fields. Herr O. von Boenigk gives full par- 

 ticulars in ' Naumannia' (i. 4. p. 30) of several colonies he himself discovered, viz. four pairs near 

 Gross Glogau in 1834, a colony about two miles from Gorlitz, consisting of four or five pairs, 

 another of about ten pairs near the large Hennersdorfer pond, and a colony of three pairs in the 

 Leopoldshainer wood. Herr A. von Homeyer visited these breeding-places in 18G3, and gives a 

 very careful description of them in the ' Journal fur Ornithologie ' for 1864 (p. 289). From 

 his notes it appears that the colonies had increased ; for he speaks of from fifteen to twenty pairs 

 in one, three in another, and fifteen in another assembly. Pastor Jiickel writes (Zool. Garten, 

 1868, p. 374) that the Fieldfare has been found breeding in Bavaria, which is worthy of record, 

 as Herr von Homeyer considered that this species did not breed there. In Belgium, De Selys- 

 Longchamps mentions that the present bird is numerous during the first frosts, appearing or 

 disappearing according to locality during the winter season, without quitting the country. It 

 migrates to the northward in March and April, a few pairs, it is said, remaining to nest in the 

 higher parts of the Ardennes, and, according to M. Degland, near Berques. Schlegel states that 

 it " arrives in Holland from the north in October, or later, in considerable numbers. It has been 



