182 A DESCRIPTION OF 
Merry is it in the good green wood, 
When the Mavis and Merle are singing, 
When the deer sweeps by, and the hounds are in cry, 
And the hunter's horn is ringing. SCOTT. 
Take thy delight in yonder goodly tree, 
Where the sweet Merle and warbling Mavis be. DRAYTON. 
THE REDWING (Turdus iliacus,} 
Is rather less than the song thrush ; but the upper side of 
the body is of the same colour ; the breast not so much 
spotted ; the coverings of the feathers of the under side of 
the wings, which in the thrush are yellow, are of orange 
colour in this bird; by which marks it is generally dis- 
tinguished. The body is white, the throat and breast 
yellowish, marked with dusky spots. It is a migratory 
bird in this island, builds its nest in hedges, and lays six 
bluish eggs. Like the fieldfare, this bird leaves us in 
spring, for which reason its song is quite unknown to us ; 
but it is said to be very pleasing. It is delicate eating : 
the Romans held it in such estimation, that they kept 
thousands of them together in aviaries, and fed them on a 
sort of paste made of bruised figs and flour, and various 
other kinds of food, to improve the delicacy and flavour 
of their flesh. Under this management these birds fat- 
