OBSERVATIOKS ON BIRDS. 
271 
■whole season of incubation. These birds do not copulate on trees, nor 
in their nests, but on the ground in the open fields. — White. 
After the first brood of rooks are sufficiently fledged, they all leave 
their nest trees in the day-time, and resort to some distant place in 
search of food, but retu)'n regularly every evening, in vast flights, to 
their nest trees, where, after flying round several times with much 
noise and clamour till they are all assembled together, they take up 
their abode for the night. — Markwick. 
THRUSHES. 
Thrushes during long droughts are of great service in hunting out 
shell snails, which they pull to pieces for their young, and are thereby 
very serviceable in gardens."^ Missel thrushes do not destroy the fruit 
in gardens like the other species of turdi, but feed on the berries of 
miseltoe, and in the spring on ivy berries, which then begin to ripen. 
In the summer, when their young become fledged, they leave neigh- 
bourhoods, and retire to sheep-walks and wild commons. 
The magpies, when they have young, destroy the broods of missel 
thrushes, though the dams are fierce birds, and fight boldly in defence 
of their nests. It is probably to avoid such insults, that this species 
of thrush, though wild at other times, delights to build near houses, 
and in frequented walks and gardens. — White. 
Of the truth of this I have been an eye-witness, having seen the 
common thrush feeding on the shell snail. 
In the very early part of this spring (1797) a bird of this species 
used to sit every morning on the top of some high elms close by my 
windows, and delight me with its charming song, attracted thither, 
probably, by some ripe ivy berries that grew near the place. 
I have remarked something like the latter fact, for I remember, 
many years ago, seeing a pair of these birds fly up repeatedly and 
attack some larger bird, which I suppose disturbed their nest in my 
orchard, uttering at the same time violent shrieks. Since writing the 
above, I have seen more than once a pair of these birds attack some 
magpies that had disturbed their nest, with great violence and loud 
shrieks. — Markwick. 
POULTRY. 
Many creatures are endowed with a ready discernment to see what 
will turn to their own advantage and emolument : and often discover 
more sagacity than could be expected. Thus my neighbour's poultry 
watch for waggons loaded with wheat, and running after them, pick 
* Snails, particularly the animal of Helix nemoralis is a favourite food of the 
song thrush. They break the shell by repeated strokes upon a stone, and it is 
a curious habit that particular stones are selected, probably from something 
being convenient in their position ; these are resorted to regularly, and small 
heaps of the broken shells may be seen around them. 
