676 
Wild Birds Useful and Injurious. 
acquired several local names : for instance, that of storm-cock 
from its habit of singing in wild weather, even in snow ; 
screech-thrush, from its grating call-note ; and holm-thrush, 
doubtless from its fondness for the berries of the holm or holly. 
Its plumage above is nearly uniform clove-brown, the under 
parts being white, tinged with yellow, and boldly spotted with 
black ; so that it bears considerable resemblance to the song- 
thrush, from which, however, its greater size is sufficient to dis- 
tinguish it. In the young bird the plumage of the upper parts 
is prettily variegated with rich buff. The nest is usually con- 
spicuous, and resembles that of the blackbird, but is larger and 
more clumsy. The eggs are bluish or reddish-white, with pur- 
plish-red markings. 
This fine thrush has rendered itself unpopular in some 
districts by exhibiting too great a partiality for fruit. Its food, 
however, consists largely of wild cherries, and the berries of 
the yew, hawthorn, holly, service-tree, mountain-ash, juniper, 
and ivy ; whilst its fondness for the berries of the mistletoe 
has gained for it the name by which it is generally known. 
Like the other members of its family, it renders good service by 
devouring slugs and the destructive larvae of beetles and moths. 
Earthworais also form a considerable portion of its sustenance. 
The missel-thrush is an example of those species whose dis- 
tribution has become much more general within comparatively 
recent times. Though now well known tlu’oughout the kingdom, 
there is good evidence to prove that a century ago it was either 
absent or very rare in many districts, particularly towards the 
north. In the breeding-season it is bold and pugnacious, 
driving away intruders of greatly superior size with exemplary 
intrepidity. 
The Fieldfare {Tardus [dlans) usually arrives in this country 
towards the end of’ October, though sometimes in the previous 
month. It comes from its breeding- grounds in the north of 
Europe in large flocks, and (fig. 5) is one of the best known of our 
winter visitors. Its plumage is handsome, and the ash-grey of 
the rump and upper tail-coverts shows up conspicuously in 
flight against the dark-coloured tail — a feature by which it 
may be readily identified on the wing. Its call-note is also 
characteristic, and, though by no means musical, sounds plea- 
santly enough when the frost has driven the woodcocks to the 
unfrozen ground around the springs, and the hardy white- 
breasted dipper sings merrily from a boulder in the icy stream. 
With the return of spring the fieldfare leaves us and journeys 
northwards to rear its young amongst the spruce firs of Scan- 
dinavia and other parts of the Continent. 
