1776 Birds. 



doubtful whether, when once paired, these birds ever separate, as they are constantly 

 seen in pairs at all periods of the year, as well as occasionally in little parties of three, 

 four, or five together, seldom more ; but may not these little parties be formed by the 

 young which remain with the parent-birds until the former separate off for pairing in 

 the ensuing spring, from never allowing them to be shot at, or unnecessarily disturbed ? 

 They are constantly in the habit of coming on the grass-plot close under the windows, 

 or perching on the iron chains which keep the cattle from approaching too near the 

 house ; and, although always upon the alert and ready to take alarm, they will allow 

 a person to stand and look at them through the windows, if quietly approached, and 

 observe them without showing much fear ; but the moment any person or other object 

 suddenly appears, they constantly fly off to a more safe distance. The young birds at 

 first, when full fledged are much lighter in colour than the old birds, and appear to 

 have irregular blotches of darker feathers, interspersed with those of a lighter hue, 

 which gives them a mottled appearance : these young birds when feeding in the grass 

 fields or perched upon a rail, seem quite free from all fear, and will allow a person or 

 dog to come within a few yards of them before taking wing. 



Like the wood-pigeon in the breeding season, the mistletoe thrush loses much of 

 its natural shyness and often makes its nest in the most frequented and exposed places, 

 regardless of noise and persons constantly being in its immediate vicinity. 



A few weeks ago I discovered a missel thrush's nest in a situation I could little 

 have supposed, — in a low tree which grows within about ten yards of a stable-door, 

 exactly facing it: this stable adjoins the house, and is only vacant during the months 

 of June, July, and August ; and in the other months, when occupied, not a day passes 

 but the servants enter in or come out of the stable at least fifteen to twenty times ; 

 every morning the horses are taken to exercise, and pass within a few yards of the tree; 

 besides this, there is a path constantly used immediately beneath the nest. The tree 

 itself is an old Spanish chestnut, growing in the shape almost of the letter Z, but 

 whose topmost branch is not ten feet high from the ground: it has not a single leaf 

 out, and there are but two or three lateral branches forking off from its zigzag trunk : 

 in one of these forked branches ; and within reach of a man's hand without one single 

 twig, leaf, or other means of concealment, but the forked nature of the tree, a mistle- 

 toe thrush has built her nest, and fearlessly endures the constant passing and repassing 

 of the servants and others to the stable, and along the path ; when, however, any one 

 comes quite close, the hen bird will often quietly slip off her nest, and perches in a 

 neighbouring tree, and this first caused me to discover her nest. In addition to other 

 intruders upon her maternal cares are several dogs loose about, which often pass close 

 to the tree ; hut there is still another object of annoyance, — itself innocent of the 

 dread its appearance occasions the poor bird, and that is the stable kitten. No sooner 

 is the door of the stable opened, wherein Kit is generally fastened in the daytime by 

 a string, purposely to prevent its getting out and wandering amongst the game aud 

 young birds which are close about the house, than little puss, like some juvenile mid- 

 shipman, irresistibly fond of climbing, takes a freak to run up the trunks of the sur- 

 rounding trees, first frolicking up one side and down the other chasing her own tail, 

 and shewing infinite delight in scouring up the trees, and scampering from one to 

 the other and back again. The rough outside of the chestnut-tree, in which the nest 

 is, and being without any side branches, renders this tree in particular of great 

 temptation to puss, and she runs up it, to within a few feet of the nest, little thinking 

 what is above ; she seldom venturing higher than the first or second branch, and when 



