WINTER SONGSTERS. 363 
his song was resumed only on fine days after ;* in 
fact the Thrush tribe are not the most readily acted on 
by the approach of spring, being regardful as it were 
of intervening discouragements and obstacles, for 
besides the perpetual winter songs of the Robin, 
Wren, and Hedge Sparrow, the Chaffinch and Ox- 
eye (not exactly a song bird) are found in this 
* In the “ Journal of a Naturalist” Mr. Knapp speaks confi- 
dently of the Missel Thrush prognosticating storms and bad 
weather generally, and Mr. White mentions a belief of the same 
kind existing in Hampshire. Independently of the omission of a 
stated duration of time between the prediction and the storm, 
(which even in February might amount to a week or more !) it 
will be seen that the Missel Bird and in general the other winter 
songsters select fine enlivening days for their songs and omit them 
on the recurrence of bad weather,so that by examining the argument 
T have here adopted, a very different explanation of the selection 
of occasions for singing by this bird may be drawn. 
As the time approaches towards the breeding period, birds be- 
come less particular of weather, but utter their various notes 
coincident with incubation even on gloomy and uninviting days. 
The early morning is more particularly the portion of the day 
when their voices may be heard, and very often their songs or notes 
are altogether suspended afterwards. 
I take the opportunity of observing here that there is no little 
fallacy and no slight error induced, by authors fixing on the date 
at which certain birds commence their spring notes, seeing that 
they are so greatly under the influence of weather, and not unfre- 
quently of food, and thus often defer their songs or even anticipate 
the stated time to which books would bind them, and (as every one 
will confess) omit them subsequently to the announced period 
should cold or yery rainy weather supervene; thus White says 
that the Ox-eye begins his notes in February, whereas with us at 
least he may be heard on fine cheering days in December and 
January. 
Uu2 
