36 The Freldfare.. 

being more yellow than grey on the head, neck, and 
upper tail-coverts, and others more brown ; on the 
breast the marks of some are so faint and indistinct 
that it is almost impossible to tell the form of them. 
There is a divided opinion between ornithologists as 
to the fact of this bird having any song; Toussend 
doubts the powers of its voice, while Yarrell says “it 
is soft and melodious.” Its call-note is very powerful ; 
it is harsh and short, and is uttered just as it takes its 
flight, and while on the wing. This bird is migratory, 
and visits us about October, leaving again in the month 
of March or the beginning of April. Should the winter 
be very severe about Christmas-time, it will leave us 
for more southern countries, paying us another visit in 
the spring, on its return to Russia, Sweden, and Nor- 
way, where it builds in companies. The Fieldfare is a 
very sociable bird, going always in flocks after the 
young are fledged ; they roost together, their journeys 
are accomplished in large numbers, and they generally 
fallin numbers by the gun. Two or three hundred nests 
are to be seen within a small space in a forest where 
they wish to rear their young. They build in trees, 
and compose their nest of dried grass and mud, lined 
with a thick bed of fine dried grass ; the usual number 
