THE COMMON OR SONG THRUSH. 
139 
predilection for such food is far from being limited to these species. 
The beautiful Helix arbustorum, whose delicate shell is much more 
easily broken than that of the others, is an especial favourite. So 
eagerly is it sought for by the thrush, (and probably also by the 
blackbird,) that in some localities, in which the fragments of broken 
shells first announced to me its contiguity, I have found it difficult 
to obtain specimens after the successful foraging of the birds. 
In addition to the naked or externally shelless snails, insects 
(coleoptera, larvse, chrysalides), worms, seeds, and soft vegetable 
matter, the smaller Helices and other land shells form in winter 
a very considerable portion of the thrush's food.* From a single 
stomach I have taken the Helix cellaria , H pura, and H. radiata, 
in addition to Limacelli ; and have similarly met with the Buli - 
mus lubricus , and Vitrina pellucida. I once, at the end of 
February, found several specimens of this last species in one 
bird; which contained also five shells of Limaces , (the snails 
themselves being wholly digested,) a coleopterous and another 
insect, together with chrysalides and larvse. 
The intelligent gamekeeper at Tollymore Park (Down), re- 
marked to me in 1836, that when living in Ayrshire some years 
before that time with the Marquess of Bute, he had seen 
four pair of cream-coloured thrushes in one season; that they 
bred and had also young of the same colour, some of which were 
attempted to be reared, but unsuccessfully. They were observed 
but in the one season. 
It is interesting to remark how birds will follow their nests 
when removed from their original situations, as in the instances 
about to be related, which occurred in the neighbourhood of Belfast. 
In May, 1847, a thrush's nest built in a tree at a considerable 
height from the ground, was, when containing five eggs, brought 
down about six feet and placed on a branch. The bird followed 
it and sat on the eggs as usual. It was then brought down eight 
or nine feet lower, until it could be looked into by a person stand- 
ing on the ground ; the bird followed it here also, and continued 
* Since these notes were first published, Mr. Macgillivray has remarked that “ He- 
lix aspersa , hortensis , nemoralis, supply great part of its food in winter,” p. 133. 
