THE THRUSH, OR THROSTLE,

Is one of the best "quiristers" of the evening hymn in the grove. His tone is loud and sweet; the melody of his song is varied, and, although not so deep in the general diapason of the woodland concert, as that of the blackbird, yet it fills up agreeably, and bursts through the inferior warblings of smaller performers. His breast is of a yellowish white, all over spotted with black or brown dashes, like ermine spots. The Missel Thrush, so called from his feeding on the berries of the misselto, differs but little from the Song Thrush, except in size. He is larger than the fieldfare, while the Throstle is smaller. These birds lay five or six bluish eggs, with a tint of green, and marked with dusky spots. The terms merle for the blackbird, and Mavis for the Thrush, are used chiefly by the poets.

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.

Where the sweet merle and warbling Mavis be.

DRAYTON.

THE REDWING, OR WIND THRUSH,

Is rather less than the 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 he is generally distinguished. The belly is white, the throat and breast yellowish, marked with dusky spots. He is a migratory bird in this island, builds his 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 fattened, to the great profit of their proprietors, who sold them to Roman epicures for three denarii, or about two shillings sterling each.

Is a well known bird in this country. They fly in flocks, together with the redwing and starlings, and shift places according to the season of the year. They abide with us in winter, and disappear in spring, so punctually, that after that time not one is to be seen. The flesh is esteemed a great delicacy. Some authors give us a description of their nest; while, on the contrary, some others assure us that no man ever saw them build and breed in Great Britain. The head is ash-coloured, and spotted with black; the back and coverts of the wings of a deep chesnut colour; the rump cinereous; and the tail black, except the lower part of the two middle feathers, which are ash-coloured, and the upper sides of the exterior feathers, which are white. They collect in large flocks; and it is supposed they keep watch, like the crow, to remark and announce the approach of danger. On any person approaching a tree that is covered with them, they continue fearless, till one at the extremity of the bush, rising on its wings, gives a loud and peculiar note of alarm. They then all fly away, except one other, which continues till the person approaches still nearer, to certify, as it were, the reality of the danger, and afterwards he also flies off, repeating the note of alarm.

Is generally distinguished from other sorts of birds, by the long spur of his back toe, the earthy colour of his feathers, and his singing as he mounts up in the air. The common Skylark is not much bigger than the house sparrow. He builds his nest sometimes in the plain under some high grass, and the tint of his plumage resembles so much the ground on which he hops along, that the body of the bird is hardly perceptible upon it. They breed thrice a year, in May, July, and August, rearing their young in a short space of time. Young nestlings may be brought up almost with any meat, but sheep's heart and eggs chopped together seem to agree best with their stomachs. They are caught in great quantities in winter, and are reckoned a delicate food amongst our best dishes. It is a melancholy observation, that man should feed upon, and indulge his sense of taste with, those very birds who have so often delighted the sense of hearing with their songs, when they usher to the gladdened creation the return of their best friend, the sun. instinctive warmth of attachment which the female

The

Skylark bears towards her own species, often discovers itself at a very early period, and even before she is capable of becoming a mother, which might be supposed to precede, in the order of nature, the maternal solicitude. "In the month of May," says Buffon," a young hen bird was brought to me, which was not able to feed without assistance. I caused her to be educated; and she was hardly fledged, when I received, from another place, a nest of three or four unfledged Larks. She took a strong liking to these new comers, which were scarcely younger than herself; she tended them night and day, cherished them beneath her wings, and fed them with her bill. Nothing could interrupt her tender offices. If the young ones were torn from her, she flew to them as soon as they were liberated, and would not think of effecting her own escape, which she might have done a hundred times. Her affection grew upon her; she neglected food and drink; she at length required the same support as her adopted offspring, and expired at last, consumed with maternal solicitude. None of the young ones survived her. They died one after another; so essential were her cares, which were equally tender and judicious." Thomson gives us a very pleasing description of this little creature:

-Up springs the Lark,
Shrill-voiced and loud, the messenger of morn ;
Ere yet the shadows fly, he, mounted, sings
Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunts
Calls up the tuneful nations.

Burns also gives a beautiful description of the Lark, in his Address to the Daisy:

Alas! it's no thy neebor sweet,
The bonnie Lark, companion meet!
Bending thee 'mang the dewy weet!
Wi' spreckled breast,

When upwards springing, blythe to greet
The purpling east.