BRITISH BIRDS* 
IOI 
early in the fpring, and continues during part of 
the fummer. This bold and pleafmg fongfter, from 
his high Ration, feems to command the concert of 
the grove, whilft, in the beautiful language of the 
poet, 
u The Jay, the Rook, the Daw, 
fit And each harfh pipe (difcordant heard alone) 
Aid the full concert, while the Stock-Dove breathes 
“ A melancholy murmur through the whole.” 
The female builds her neft generally in bufhes ; 
it is compofed of dried grafs, with a little earth or 
clay intermixed, and lined with rotten wood ; fhe 
lays five or fix eggs of a pale blue colour, marked 
with dufky fpots. Although this fpecies is not con- 
fidered as migratory with us, it has, neverthelefs, 
been obferved in feme places in great numbers du- 
ring the fpring and fummer, where not one was to 
be feen in the winter, which has induced an opinion 
that they either fhift their quarters entirely, or take 
fhelter in the more retired parts of the woods. — - 
That the Thro file is migratory in France, we have 
the authority of that nice obferver of nature, M. 
de Buffon, who fays that it appears in Burgundy 
about the end of September, before the Redwing 
and Fieldfare, and that it feeds upon the ripe 
grapes, and fometimes does much damage to the 
vineyard. The females of all the Thrufn kind 
are very fimilar to the males, and differ chiefly in 
a leffer degree of brilliancy in the colours® 
H 3 
