beginning of January ; but Mr. Montague fays, " it ceafes to 

 fingas foon as the thermometer finks below forty-five degrees:'* 

 befides its mufical notes it poffeffes one expreffive of anger, 

 that is very loud and grating to the ear, which has occafioned 

 it to be called in fome places Screech Thrum, Holm Screech, 

 &c. it is ufually more vociferous during a ftorm, from which 

 circumftance it has alfo obtained a number of provincial names, 

 fuch as Storm-Cock, Rain-Throftle or Thrum, Throttle- 

 Cock, Holm-Thrum, and Mifleltoe-Thrufli ; it derives the 

 latter from its feeding on the berries of the MhTeltoe, which 

 have been erroneoufly confidered as necefiary to pafs the 

 digeftive organs of this bird, to make them vegetate : but as 

 Mr. Montague juftly obferves, this is no more neceflary than 

 that corn mould pafs through thofe of a horfe ; that feeds 

 vegetate after pafling through the bodies of both, is well 

 known ; but this may be efteemed as one of the methods 

 nature takes to difperfe the feeds of various plants. 



The principal food of this bird is berries of various kinds, 

 infects, and fnails, with the two latter it feeds its young, firit 

 breaking the fhells of the fnails againft a ftone to get at their 

 contents,, 



