224 M I S S E L - B I R D. Clafs II. 



its EngJiJh names: its fong though is very fine, which 

 it begins in the fpring, fitting on the fummit of a 

 high tree. It feeds on infefls, holly and miffeltoe 

 berries •, the JVeJJh call it Pen y llwyn^ or the mafter 

 of the coppice, as it will drive all the leffer fpecies 

 of thrulhes trom it. The antients believed that the 

 mijfeltoe (the bafis of bird-lime) could not be propa- 

 gated but by the berries that had pafl through the 

 body of this bird ; and on that is founded the pro- 

 verb of Turdus malum fibi cacat. 



It may be obferved, that this is the largefl: bird, 

 Britijh ov foreign (within our knowlege) that fings or 

 has any harmony in its note ; the notes of all fuperior 

 being either fcreaming, croaking, chattering, &c. 

 the pigeon kind excepted, whole flow plaintive con- 

 tinued monotone has fomething fweetly Toothing in it. 

 ^hompfon (the naturalift's poet) in the concert he has 

 formed among the feathered tribe, allows the imper- 

 fetflion of voice in the larger birds, yet introduces 

 them as ufeful as the bafe in chorus, though un- 

 pleafing by itfelf : 



^ The jay, the rook, the daw. 



And each harfh pipe (difcordant heard alone) 

 Aid the fall concert: while the ftock-dove breaths 

 A melancholy murmur thro' the whole *. 



* Seafons. Spring, 1. 6o6. 



II. Th( 



