Tin] YOUNG 



NATURALIST. 



341 



says that they have also a song which is 

 soft and melodious. 



Flight. — The flight is eisy, slightly 

 undulating, and performed in companies of 

 from ten to fifty generally, but sometimes 

 in very large flocks numbering a thousand 

 or more. 



Migration. — This species is a true 

 migrant, arriving in this country about the 

 middle or end of October, and remaining to 

 the end of April, middle of May, or even 

 June. When they leave this country they 

 go to the pine forests of Norway and Sweden, 

 Lapland. &c. 



Food. — The food, like that of the other 

 thrushes, consists of insects, snails, worms, 

 and fruit. In this country they seem par- 

 ticularly fond of the fruit of the hawthorn. 

 Ill hard winters they sometimes do consid- 

 erable damage to turnips by picking holes 

 and feeding upon the roots. 



In Confinement. — Yarrel says it soon 

 becomes reconciled and sings agreeably. 



Habitat. — Very common throughout 

 I his country in winter, frequenting meadows, 

 iVc, on being disturbed flying to the hedge- 

 rows and isolated trees, and is generally 

 very wild, and difificult of approach. 



Abro,\d it is found throughout the conti- 



lUs of Europe and the northern parts of 

 A ia, migrating southward in the winter as 

 f ir as parts of Africa. Rare in India. 



Nest. — This thrush generally breeds in 

 colonics, but occasionally singly, in pine 

 forests. The nest is composed of sticks and 

 coarse grass with a little clay, and lined 

 with finer grass. It has been recorded as 

 having bred in this country, but probably 

 under a misconception, as no authentic eggs 

 ov nests are known to have been taken in 

 this country. 



Eggs. — From four to six eggs are l.'.id, 

 (lescril)ed as subject to much variation, 

 i\ scmbling those of the ring ouzle, black- 

 bird, redwing, or missel thrush. 



BRITISH FRESH-WATER FISH. 

 By H. Andrews, Aldborough. 

 In presenting this brief account of our 



British Fresh-water Fish before the readers 

 of the YoHtif; Naturalist, it is only necessary 

 to mention the positions and names of the 

 fins in order to assist in recognising the 

 various species. 



Dorsal fin, extends along the back. 



Pectoral do. on each side of the head. 



Ventral do. on the abd: men (belly), be- 

 tween the pectoral and anal. 



Anal do. is nearest the candal fin. 



Candal do. is the tail fin. 



The Perch (Pena fluviatiUs) is one of 

 our handsomest river fish. In colour it is 

 greenish-brown above and silvery-white 

 below, with a series of dark brown bands 

 over the sides. It is a common fish in our 

 rivers, very bold and voracious, feeding on 

 woimis, insects, and small fishes, such as 

 the minnow, dace, and gudgeon. The perch 

 frequents deep holes in rivers, lakes, and 

 ponds. You m.ay distinguish it from any 

 other fish by those bands (previously men- 

 tioned) and the first dorsal fin (nearest the 

 head) being very spiny or prickly. I have 

 taken perch of 2.^ lbs. in weight, but have 

 seen one recorded of 4.J lbs. 



The Pope or Ruff (P. F. minor) is a 

 sn;all fish, generally about four or five 

 inches long, and is most plentiful in the 

 middle of canals, where the bottom is sar.dy 

 or gravelly. The two dorsal fins are con- 

 tinuous, the former part being spiny. 



The Bullhead (Cottus gob.'o) belongs 

 the next family, and is a very common and 

 pccul ar-looking fish, having a very large 

 head for the size of its body. It is known 

 by the name of "Miller's Thumb." It is 

 about four or five inches, and its food con- 

 sists of water insects, larva, and worms. It 

 generally locates itself under loose stoncs.and 

 may b:: found in almost any brook or stream. 



The Three-spined Stickleback 



(Gasta-ostcHS sfir.u^csus) belongs to a family 



