Class II. FIELDFARE. 405 



of all kinds, and is very fond of those of the 

 juniper. Fieldfares visit our islands in great 

 flocks about Michaelmas, and leave us the latter 

 end of February, or the beginning of March. 

 We suspect that the birds that migrate here, 

 come from Norxcay, &c. forced by the excessive 

 rigor of the season in those cold regions ; as we 

 find that they winter as well as breed in Prussia^ 

 Austria* and the moderate climates. f 



These birds and the Redwings were the Turdi 

 of the Romans, which they fattened with crums 

 of figs and bread mixed together. Varro in- 

 forms us that they were birds of passage, coming 

 in autumn, and departing in the spring. They 

 must have been taken in great numbers, for they 

 were kept by thousands together in their fatten- - 

 ing aviaries. J They do not arrive in France 

 till the beginning of December. 



These birds weigh generally about four Descrip- 

 ounces ; their length is ten inches, their breadth 

 seventeen. The head is ash-colored inclining 



* Klein hist. av. 178. 



f " Instances of their breeding in England are rare. Mr. 

 Lewin assured me that February 12, l?9-> a P a h" were observed 

 to make a nest near his residence in an ivy bush, and, in a former 

 year, he has seen them in summer. We are told also that a nest 

 of this bird has been found at Paddington."§ J. L. 



X Varro, lib. iii. c. 5. 



§ Hart. Misc. ii. 561. Barringt. Misc. 219. 



