THE FIELDFARE. 
in Sweden, Norway, and as far north as the cold and in- 
hospitable wilds of Iceland. It visits this country about ; 
October, and stays till March or April. During these months 
the redwing is plentiful throughout nearly all parts of Great 
Britain. It is rather a handsome bird, about nine inches j 
long; the upper parts of its body are of a light brown; the j 
chin, throat, and breast are of a greyish-white colour, spotted | 
with black and brown spots. The feathers on the sides of the 
body, when the wings are expanded, are seen to be orange-red, 
whence it derives its name of redwing. 
The redwing thrush is not so inclined to vegetarianism as j 
the others of his species, but lives principally upon snails, j 
slugs, and worms, and other insects. It very rarely builds a j 
nest in this country, although one or two have been occa- j 
sionally found ; it is built somewhat like that of the blackbird, | 
and is usually placed in the centre of some thick bush. It lays 
from four to six eggs, which are of a blue colour, spotted with 
black. 
The Fieldfare. — The fieldfare is another important mem- 
ber of the thrush group. Like the redwing, it dwells, during 
the greater part of the year, in the northern latitudes ; and is 
even found in Siberia. Not until the great annual festival of 
Christmas is beginning to occupy the minds of the English 
people does the fieldfare visit this country. They arrive in 
great flocks, and overspread the barren fields in search of 
provender. Most “ conntiy ” boys, consequently, are tolerably 
familiar with this bird, and the earliest juvenile “ shot” is 
often at the fieldfare. Their visit to this country rarely extends 
over four or five months, and it never builds a permanent home 
here. Their system of nidification is somewhat singular, and is 
well described by Mr. Hewitson. While travelling through 
Norway and Sweden, he was attracted by the loud shrieking 
of these birds, and, approaching the spot whence the sound 
proceeded, he says : — “We were soon delighted by the dis- 
covery of several of their nests, and were surprised to find 
them (so contrary to the habits of other species of Turckis 
with which we are acquainted) herding in society. Their nests 
are at various heights from the ground, from four feet to 
thirty or forty feet or upwards, mixed with old ones of the 
preceding year; They were, for the most part, placed against 
the trunk of the spruce fir ; some, however, at a considerable 
distance from it, upon the upper surface, and towards the 
smaller end of the thick branches. The outside is composed 
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