CHAPTER XXXI. 



The Fieldfare. 



Turdus pilaris, Lin. ; Litorne ou Tourdelle, Buf. 



Description and Character. — The Fieldfare, like the Red- 

 wing, is only a visitant to this country. It appears to hold 

 a similar relationship to the latter bird as the Missel Thrush 

 does to the Song Thrush. 



A fully-grown adult specimen measures lOin. from beak 

 to tail, the latter measuring 4in. The beak is |^in. in length, 

 of a yellowish horn colour, tipped at the point with 

 brownish black ; the upper mandible is slightly curved 

 towards the end, or tip. The irides are dark brown. The 

 top of the head, and back part of the neck, are greyish 

 brown, dappled with small black spots. The back and wing 

 coverts are russet brown ; the rump, pale greyish brown. A 

 stripe of greyish white runs from the base of the bill, beyond 

 the eyes. The cheeks are brownish grey, with a few dark spots 

 below the eyes. The throat and upper part of the breast 

 are pale reddish yellow, speckled with heart and pear-shaped 

 blackish brown spots. The belly, sides of body, and vent, 

 are greyish white, spotted and marked in a similar manner. 

 The wings are blackish brown, shaded with grey, the coverts 

 being reddish brown, and the larger coverts mottled with pale 

 greyish brown. The tail feathers are a sort of indefinite 

 black, the outside ones being white on the outer portion of 

 the shaft. The legs are brown, and the feet blackish brown. 



The Fieldfare is rather an elegant member of the Turdus 

 family, but so uncongenial in its nature and habits as to destroy 



