beginning of January ; but Mr. Montague fays, it ceafes to 
fing as foon as the thermometer fmks 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 infome places Screech Thrufli, Holm Screech, 
Sec. 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 Thrufh, Throftle- 
Cock, Holm-Thrufh, and Miffeltoe-Thrufh ; it derives the 
latter from its feeding on the berries of the Mifleltoe, which 
have been erroneoufly confidered as neceflary 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 Ihould 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 difpcrfe the feeds of various plants. 
The principal food of this bird is berries of various kinds, 
infeds, and fnails, with the two latter it feeds its young, firft 
breaking the fhells of the fnails againft a Hone to get at their 
contents. 
