620 MR. J. H. GUUNKY, JUN., ON THE THRUSH TRIBE IN ENGLAND. 
her bill, and yet make no attempt to pluck it. An apple-tree 
covered with mistletoe grows exactly opposite and within ten yards 
of the window of the room at which he constantly sits to read or 
write, and hence he has exceptional opportunities of observing 
all the birds that come to it. The berries are seldom or ever 
sought until the end of January or the beginning of February, 
and it is a pleasant sight, he remarks, to watch the Mistletoe 
Thrushes pluck one berry after another in a deliberate way, 
stopping, after each is swallowed, as though to enjoy its taste, 
just as a man who knows what good wine is, and has a glass 
of it, deliberately takes it a sip or a mouthful at a time and dwells 
upon its flavour. The visits to the mistletoe-bushes seldom last 
long, but are repeated; for it would seem that the same birds return 
several times in the course of the day, until nearly the whole crop 
is gathered ; the berries growing low down excepted, though if the 
weather is severe even these are in time plucked. Professor 
Newton writes me, that during the past winter, 1888-89, which, 
until nearly the middle of February was comparatively mild, he 
saw no Mistletoe Thrushes in the garden of his college until 
the 1 1th of February, and had begun to wonder what v/nuld 
become of the mistletoe berries of which there was a profusion on 
the apple-trees immediately opposite his window. On the afternoon 
of the day just mentioned, however, everything being under deep 
snow, a pair came to the tree and began in their usual way plucking 
berry after berry; but they did not stop many minutes, as it 
happened that two or three people passed on the path close by, 
and the birds are always shy, even where no molestation is ever 
offered to them. About three hours later they returned and then 
stayed longer, pulling off nearly all the berries within easy reach, 
and even those that they had to jump for and take on the wing. 
The range of the Mistletoe Thrush extends all over Europe. 
I met with it at Moscow and St. Petersburgh, but at Heligoland 
was told by Herr Giitke that it was the least abundant of the six 
regular migratory Thrushes which visit that island. Kroener and 
Fournel say it is a summer migrant in Alsace ; but I saw one at 
Nancy in January, and have little doubt it is found in France at all 
seasons. The down of the nestling is much whiter than in the 
Song Thrush, and in the same nest tlmre will sometimes be 
nestlings of different .sizes. The nestling can see on the fourth day. 
