Part 31

The voice of the Missel Thrush resembles that of the Blackbird. "The male," says Mudie, "is not a mere idle songster; he is equally vigilant and bold in the defence of his family. The call-note he utters in case of danger--and which is answered by the female as if she were expressing her confidence of safety while he is on the watch--is harsh, grating, and has the tone of a note of defiance. With the Missel Thrush this defiance is no idle boast, for the sneaking Magpie, the light-winged Kestrel, and even the Sparrow Hawk, are at those times compelled to keep their distance, as the Thrush is too vigilant to be taken by surprise, and under the sprays where these birds contend with him on equal terms he keeps them all at bay. Nor is he the guardian of his own family only--he is in some measure the warder of the whole grove, and when the harsh but shrill sound of his bugle-note of alarm is heard, all the warblers take heed of the danger, and the chorus is mute until he again mounts the highest branch and raises the song of thankfulness for deliverance."

THE SONG THRUSH.

The SONG THRUSH (_Turdus musicus_) is considerably smaller than the Missel Thrush, its length being eight inches and a half, and its breadth twelve and three-quarters; its wing measures four inches and one-sixth, and its tail three inches and a quarter. The upper portion of the body is olive-grey, the under side yellowish white, marked with triangular oval brown spots, which are less numerous on the belly than in the species above described; the lower wing-covers are also palish yellow, instead of white, and the feathers on the upper covers tipped with dirty reddish yellow. The sexes differ only in their size; the young are recognisable by the yellowish streaks and brown spots on the tips of the feathers of the upper part of their body. Like the Missel Thrush, this species inhabits the whole of Europe, being, however, especially numerous in its extreme north, and rarely breeding in the most southern portions of the continent, which are usually only visited during the winter months; it is also frequently met with in China, and during its migrations wanders as far as North-western Africa, but is rarely seen in the north-eastern provinces of that continent. Notwithstanding the very quarrelsome disposition usually displayed by these birds, many interesting anecdotes have been recorded concerning the great affection they display towards each other. Amongst these Yarrell mentions a touching instance, related by Mr. Knapp:--"We observed," says the latter, "two common Thrushes frequenting the shrubs on the green in our garden; from the slenderness of their forms and the freshness of their plumage, we pronounced them to be birds of the preceding summer. There was an association of friendship between them that called attention to their actions. One of them seemed ailing or feeble from some bodily accident, for, though it hopped about, it appeared unable to obtain a sufficiency of food. Its companion, an active, sprightly Thrush, would frequently bring it worms or bruised snails, when they mutually partook of the banquet; the ailing bird would then wait patiently, understand the actions, and expect the assistance of the other, and advance from his asylum on its approach. This procedure was continued for some days, but after a time we missed the fostered invalid, which probably died, or, by reason of its weakness, met with some fatal accident." (The egg of the Song Thrush is shown in Fig. 14, Coloured Plate XVI.)

THE FIELDFARE, OR JUNIPER THRUSH.

The FIELDFARE, or JUNIPER THRUSH (_Turdus pilaris_), is ten inches long and sixteen and a half broad; the wing measures five and a half and the tail about four inches. The plumage of this species is unusually variegated: the head, nape, and rump are deep grey; the upper part of the back and region of the shoulder dull chestnut-brown; the quills and tail-feathers black, the former and the feathers of the wing-covers being grey upon the outer web and tip; the exterior tail-feathers are bordered with white; the front of the throat is dark reddish yellow, spotted longitudinally with black; the feathers on the breast are brown, with a whitish edge; the rest of the under side is quite white; the eye is brown, the beak yellow, and the foot dark brown. The female is somewhat paler than her mate.

These birds mostly live and breed in the extensive birch forests that abound in Northern Europe, and usually make their appearance in the central portions of that continent late in the autumn, rarely wandering as far as its extreme south. They generally appear in Great Britain in large flocks about March, when, should the season permit, they at once spread themselves over the fields in every direction in search of insects, or if these have all disappeared, seek the berries that constitute their principal food in our hedges and gardens. But should the weather prove so exceptionally cold as to deprive them of the latter means of support, they are compelled to wander still farther south, returning, however, to Great Britain again before the end of the winter. Under ordinary circumstances, they remain with us till May, and have occasionally been known to breed in Yorkshire, Kent, and some parts of Scotland. Mr. Hewitson thus describes the habits of the Fieldfare when preparing its nest:--"After a long ramble through some very thick woods, our attention was attracted by the harsh cries of several birds, which we at first supposed to be Shrikes, but which afterwards proved to be Fieldfares. We were soon delighted by the discovery of several of their nests, and were surprised to find them--so contrary to the habits of other species of the genus _Turdus_ with which we are acquainted--breeding in society. Their nests were at various heights from the ground, from four feet to thirty or forty feet, or upwards; they were for the most part placed against the trunk of the spruce fir; some were, however, at a considerable distance from it, upon the upper surface, and towards the smaller end of the thicker branches: they resemble most nearly those of the Ring Ouzel; the outside is composed of sticks and coarse grass and weeds, gathered wet, matted with a small quantity of clay, and lined with a thick bed of fine dry grass. None of them as yet contained more than three eggs, although we afterwards found that five was more commonly the number than four, and that even six was very frequent. The eggs are very similar to those of the Blackbird, and still more to those of the Ring Ouzel."

THE REDWING.

The REDWING (_Turdus iliacus_) is eight inches and a half long and thirteen and a half broad. Its wing measures four and a half, and tail three and a half inches. Upon the upper part of the body the plumage is of a greenish brown, the under side whitish, the sides of the breast bright rust-red, and the throat yellowish, marked all over with triangular and round dark brown spots. The female is of a lighter colour than her mate. The back of the young is greenish, spotted with yellow, and their lower wing-covers rust-red; the eyes of all are reddish brown; the beak black, except at the base of the lower mandible, which is grey; the foot is of a reddish hue. This species is also an inhabitant of Northern Europe, but usually appears in the more southern portions of the continent at the close of autumn. Its winter migration extends as far as Northern Africa; it is also met with in Asia, but has never, we believe, been seen in an easterly direction beyond Irkutzk.

It generally arrives in Great Britain about October, appearing in large flocks; and great numbers frequently perish, should the winter be extremely severe. "The Redwings," says Yarrell, in his excellent "History of British Birds," "are much less inclined to feed on berries than most of the other species of this genus, and should the resources obtained by their search on the ground be closed against them by long-continued frost and snow, the Redwings are first to suffer. During such severe seasons as in 1799, 1814, and 1822, hundreds have been found almost starved, alike unable to prosecute their journey south to more congenial countries, or to bear the rigour of this." Whether such mortality resulted from the intensity of the cold, or the long continuance of snow upon the ground, may be matter for speculation.

THE RING OUZEL, OR RING THRUSH.

The RING OUZEL, or RING THRUSH (_Turdus torquatus_), is ten inches long and sixteen broad, the wing measures five and a half, and the tail more than four inches. The plumage of the male, with the exception of a broad, crescent-shaped, white spot upon the breast, is of a pure black, marked with faint crescent-shaped spots, formed by the light edges of the feathers; the quills and wing-covers are shaded with grey, and bordered with brownish grey; the tail is of an uniform brownish black, with the exception of its two exterior feathers, which are surrounded by a delicate line of greyish white. The female is greyer than her mate; all the borders to the feathers are broader; moreover, the crescent on her breast is only slightly indicated, and of a dull grey hue. The feathers upon the back of the young bird are dark, with a light edge, and partially streaked with light reddish yellow on the shafts; the throat is pale reddish yellow, spotted with a deeper shade; the breast, which is of a reddish hue, is marked with round spots, whilst those upon the greyish yellow belly are crescent-shaped. The eye is brown, the base of the lower mandible reddish yellow, the rest of the beak black; the foot is blackish brown. The Ring Thrush principally frequents the highest mountain ranges of Europe, but it is met with throughout the highland countries during its migrations, and often wanders as far as the Atlas Mountains. This species has been classed by some ornithologists as the representative of a separate group, under the name of _Thoracocinela_, but, in our own opinion, it can only be regarded as a connecting link between the Thrushes and Blackbirds. (The egg of the Ring Ouzel is represented in Fig. 15, Coloured Plate XVI.)

This species arrives in Great Britain about April, and is not common. Mr. Mudie informs us that cold moors, stony places, where a good deal of water falls, and where there are springs and lakes, are the nesting ground of the Ring Ouzel. When startled by anyone coming suddenly upon them, they utter the same alarm-note as the Blackbird. Their short sweet song resembles that of the Missel Thrush, and is given forth from some low rock, or elevated stone. The nest varies a little with the situation. A plant or bush, especially if against a bank, usually has the preference; but a tuft of grass or heath, or even the projecting part of a massy stone, is often employed. The nest is formed of moss and lichen, plastered with mud, and lined with dry soft grass. The eggs are four, rarely six in number, about the size of those of the Blackbird, but rather greener in tint, and the spots more decidedly marked.

THE BLACKBIRD.

The BLACKBIRD, BLACK THRUSH, or MERLE (_Turdus merula_), differs from the species above described in the comparative shortness of its blunt-shaped wings (in which the third, fourth, and fifth quills are nearly of equal length), and still more decidedly in its mode of life. Its length varies from nine and three-quarters to ten inches, and its breadth from thirteen and a half to fourteen inches; the wing measures from four inches and one-third to four and a half, and the tail four and a half inches. The plumage of the adult male is of an uniform black, the eye brown, the beak and edges of the eyelid bright yellow, and the legs dark brown; in the adult female the upper part of the body is pure black, the under side blackish grey, edged with light grey; the throat and upper part of the breast are greyish black, but spotted with white and rust-red; the young are blackish brown upon the back, spotted with yellow upon the shafts, and rust-red, spotted with brown on the under side.

The Blackbird is met with extensively from sixty-six degrees north latitude throughout the whole of Southern Europe, and is a permanent resident in Great Britain. Everywhere it frequents moist and well-wooded districts or tracts of underwood, usually remaining from year's end to year's end within the limits of its native land. Only such as reside in the extreme north of the continent migrate, and then rarely beyond the southern parts of Sweden. "The Blackbirds," says Mr. Yarrell, "occupy hedges, thickets, plantations, and woods. They are shy, vigilant, and restless, frequenting the ground under cover of evergreens and other shrubs, that serve to conceal them, and, if disturbed, take wing with a vociferous chattering of alarm, and, after a short flight, turn suddenly into some thick brake or hedgerow to avoid pursuit. The food of the Blackbird varies considerably with the season; in the spring and early part of the summer it consists of the larvæ of insects, with worms and snails; the shells of the latter being dexterously broken against a stone, to get at the soft body within. As the season advances they exhibit their great partiality for fruit of various sorts, and their frequent visits to our orchards bring upon them the vengeance of the gardener. This bird commences his song early in the spring, and it has been observed that he occasionally sings his best during an April shower. He continues singing at intervals during the summer till the moulting season. Like some other birds gifted with great powers of voice the Blackbird is an imitator of the sounds made by others. He has been heard closely to imitate part of the song of the Nightingale, and three or four instances are recorded of his having been known to crow like a cock, apparently enjoying the sound of the responses made by the fowls in a neighbouring poultry-yard." Mr. Neville Wood mentions an instance in which he heard a Blackbird cackle as a hen does after laying. This species pairs and breeds very early in the spring, generally choosing the centre of some thick bush in which to fix and conceal the nest. The exterior is formed of coarse roots and strong bents of grass, plastered over and interlaced with dirt on the inner surface, thus forming a stiff wall; it is then lined with fine grass. The eggs are four or five, sometimes six in number, of a light blue, speckled and spotted with pale reddish brown (see Fig. 13, Coloured Plate XVI.) Occasionally they are of an uniform blue shade. Their length is one inch and two lines, and their breadth eight lines. The first brood is hatched by the end of March, or early in April.

* * * * *

The MOCKING THRUSHES (_Mimi_) constitute a family nearly allied to the birds above described. They are recognisable by their slender bodies, and short but strong wings, that only extend as far as the base of the long tail, and have the third, fourth, and fifth quills of equal length. The exterior tail-feathers are graduated, the tarsi high, the feet large and powerful, and the claws comparatively weak. The beak somewhat resembles that of the True Thrush, but is much higher and more arched; the plumage, moreover, is unusually soft and lax. Unlike the True Thrushes, the members of this group do not prefer forests or woodlands, but frequent open tracts, marshy districts, or even the sea-coast; and while some seek the retirement of the most isolated situations, others make their home close to the dwellings of man. Such species as inhabit the southern portions of the western hemisphere do not migrate, whilst those from the north, when winter approaches, wander southward as far as the United States or even Central America. All American writers speak with enthusiasm of the song of these birds; and though we are by no means inclined to allow them the superiority over their European cousins that has been claimed for them, still we are fully prepared to acknowledge that their vocal powers are eminently fascinating and remarkable.

THE MIMIC THRUSH.

The MIMIC THRUSH, or MOCKING BIRD (_Mimus polyglottus_), as the most celebrated species has been called, is nine and a half inches long and thirteen and a half broad; the plumage on the upper part of the body is dark grey, shaded with brown upon the brow and side of the head; the under side is brownish white; the quills and wing-covers are brownish black, and the feet dark brown. The female is browner and darker than her mate, and the white in the tail less pure. Both sexes are alike in size.

The United States of North America must be regarded as the native land of this interesting bird, and from thence, as autumn approaches, it wanders forth to visit the surrounding countries. (The Mocking Birds of Louisiana, however, form an exception to this rule, as, owing to the mildness of the climate, they often remain there throughout the entire year.) This delightful songster generally frequents plantations, gardens, and brushwood, and not only lives but breeds in the immediate vicinity of man; it also prefers sandy plains, the banks of rivers, and the neighbourhood of the sea-coast. On the ground its movements resemble those of the True Thrush, but its flight is undulating, and rarely sustained for any great distance, as the Mocking Bird from time to time takes rest upon a tree before proceeding on its way; moreover, as it flies, the tail is alternately expanded and closed. As regards the wonderful powers of song that have rendered this species so famous, we cannot do better than quote the words of Wilson:--"The intelligence he displays in listening and laying up lessons from almost every species of the feathered creation within his hearing is really surprising, and marks the peculiarity of his genius. To his other endowments we may add that of a voice full, strong, and musical, and capable of every modulation, from the clear mellow tones of the Wood Thrush to the savage scream of the Bald Eagle. While in measure and accent he faithfully follows his originals, in force and sweetness of expression he greatly improves upon them. In his native groves, mounted on the top of a tall bush, or half-grown tree, in the dawn of dewy morning, when the woods are already vocal with a multitude of warblers, his admirable song rises pre-eminent over every competitor. The ear can listen to his music alone, to which that of all others seems a mere accompaniment. Neither is his strain altogether imitative. His own native notes, which are easily distinguishable by such as are well acquainted with those of our various song birds, are bold, full, and varied, seemingly beyond all limits. They consist of short expressions of two, three, or at most five or six syllables, generally interspersed with imitations, all of them uttered with great emphasis and rapidity, and continued with undiminished ardour for half an hour or an hour at a time. His expanded wings and tail, glistening with white, and the buoyant gaiety of his action, arrest the eye as his song most irresistibly does the ear; sometimes he sweeps round with enthusiastic ecstasy, mounting and descending as his song swells or dies away, and, as my friend Mr. Bartram has beautifully expressed it, 'He bounds aloft with the celerity of an arrow, as if to recover or recall is very soul expired in the last elevated strain.'

"While thus exerting himself, a bystander destitute of sight would suppose that the whole feathered tribe had assembled together on a trial of skill, each striving to produce his utmost effect, so perfect are his imitations. He many times deceives the sportsman, and sends him in search of birds that perhaps are not within miles of him, but whose notes he exactly imitates; even birds themselves are frequently imposed on by this admirable mimic, and are decoyed by the fancied calls of their mates; or dive with precipitation into the depth of thickets, at a scream of what they suppose to be the Sparrow Hawk."

As may readily be imagined, the sounds imitated by these remarkable birds vary according to the situation in which they live; those that occupy woodland districts naturally repeat the note uttered by their feathered companions, whilst those near a farmyard learn not only to imitate the cries of all its different inhabitants, but reproduce them so perfectly as to deceive the nicest ear. Thus they have been known to summon the house-dog, by whistling like his master; drive a hen to a state of the utmost excitement, by constantly screaming out in such a manner as to lead her to suppose that one of her chicks was in the last agonies; or to scare away a whole flock of poultry by the perfection with which they imitate the cry of one of the many tyrants of the air. The clapping of a mill, a creaking door, the grating of a saw, or, indeed, any of the multitudinous noises heard in a busy household, at once attract their attention, and are simulated with such torturing exactness as often to render the Mocking Bird, when caged, almost unbearable.

Amongst the many enemies to whose attacks this species is exposed, the black snake is one of the most formidable, and frequent and terrible are the battles that ensue between these apparently very unequal combatants.

"Whenever," says Wilson, "the insidious approaches of this reptile are discovered, the male darts upon it with the rapidity of an arrow, dexterously eluding its bite, and striking it violently and incessantly about the head, where it is very vulnerable. The snake soon becomes sensible of its danger, and seeks to escape; but the intrepid defender of his young redoubles his exertions, and, unless his antagonist be of great magnitude, often succeeds in destroying him. All its pretended powers of fascination avail it nothing against the vengeance of this noble bird. As the snake's strength begins to flag, the Mocking Bird seizes and partially lifts it up from the ground, beating it with his wings; and when the business is completed he returns to the repository of his young, mounts the summit of the bush, and pours out a torrent of song in token of victory."