258 BRITISH AND EUROPEAN BIRDS- 



birds in the destruction of snails and other injurious animals, they 

 should, therefore, never be destroyed. — See the Introduction. 



The Viscivorus, Missel, Missel-Thrush, Missel-Bird, Mis- 

 seltoe-Thrush, Skreech, Home-Screech, Skreech-Thrush, Throstle- 

 Cock, Holm-Thrush, or Stormcock, is peculiarly distinguished as 

 being the largest British bird which has any harmony in its 

 voice; it is in length eleven inches ; back and upper parts light- 

 brown ; neck white, spotted with brown ; beneath whitish; bill 

 dusky. Builds its nest generally in the fork of some tree; very 

 often the apple-tree. Eggs four or five, flesh colour, with rusty 

 spots. This is rather a scarce bird in England ; I have seen it 

 and its nest, occasionally, in Somersetshire, but I know nothing 

 of its song. It is said, indeed, that it is much louder than, and, 

 by some, esteemed superior to that of the song-thrush. That it 

 begins to sing in January, and continues singing, more or less, 

 till the female has hatched its young, when it is heard no more 

 till the beginning of the new year. If, however, the young be 

 taken, its song continues as before ; and if the female be de- 

 stroyed, it continues in song the whole summer. This experi- 

 ment, Montagu informs us, he tried upon this and several other 

 song birds, and always found it invariable. Feeds upon holly, 

 misseltoe berries, whence its name, and insects. It generally 

 sings from the summit of a tree ; it is said also to sing before 

 rain and during a storm ; hence its name Stormcock. 



The Pilaris, Fieldfare, Fieldefare, Feldefare, Veelvare, or Pi- 

 geon-Fieldfare, is ten inches long ; back and lesser wing coverts 

 chesuut-brown ; neck, breast, and sides, yellowish, streaked 

 with dusky ; throat and beneath white ; tail dusky-black. 

 Three or four other varieties. This is a migratory bird, visiting 

 this country in flocks in October, and quitting it in April. 

 Feeds here on the fruit of the hawthorn, worms, and insects. 

 Their summer residence said to be Syria, Siberia, and the 

 neighbouring districts. The numbers and appearance of this 

 bird in England seem to be determined by the rigour of the 

 weather; while they are seen here, the inhabitants of the country 

 consider that the severity of the winter is not yet past. 



