TURDUS PILARI S, Linn.
Fieldfare.

Turdus pilaris, Linn. Syst. Nat., tom. i, pee oie
Silvia pilaris, Savi.

Merula pilaris, Selby, Ml. Brit. Orn., vol. i. GO!
Arceuthornis pilaris, Kaup.

 

Tur Fieldfare and Redwing are so intimately associated, that when the mind reverts to one, the thoughts
are naturally led to the other. Both are migrants, which come to this country in autumn for the purpose of
spending the winter; and both simultaneously depart again in the spring, to breed and pass the summer in
Norway, Lapland, and Russia. Like the Jackdaw and the Rook, they frequently unite in large flocks ; but
this band of brotherhood is broken up at the period of reproduction; each then goes its own way, and
selects its own locality,—the larger bird or Fieldfare nesting in communities, the smaller or Redwing more
solitary.

The countries bordering the Arctic Circle are more quickly influenced by the retiring of the sun than
those further south, hence in the early part of autumn or the months of September and October insect-life
becomes more scarce ; and, as no haws or berries are produced there, the great hordes of these birds are
necessitated to proceed further south, some to the British Islands, others to France and Spain, and others
to southern Russia and Persia: from north to south at one season, and vice versa at the opposite period, are
the directions in which these birds and most migratory animals move. There are those who ease their
consciences by considering the destruction of a migrant fair sport; and there are persons who will sneak
beneath the hedgerows the entire day for a chance shot at a Fieldfare, but who will allow the Thrush
and the Blackbird to fly off unscathed from the ditch along which they are creeping.

On their arrival in the autumn, the Fieldfares spread themselves so generally over the whole of the British
Islands, that there is no part of the country in which the bird may not be found, if the weather be open.
Arable lands, pastures, extensive heaths, and commons are principally resorted to: there it hops over the
surface of the ground, and searches for the insects, grubs, and other larvee which constitute its food. If
frost sets in, the berry-bearing trees of the hedgerow afford it a supply ; if the weather becomes still
more severe, and this kind of food scant, a southerly and westerly movement takes place, and an asylum is
sought in the warm and moist counties of Devonshire and Cornwall; here it remains until the weather
breaks, when it again returns to its former localities. In this way the bird spends the winter and awaits
the return of the sun, some remaining until the end of April, and even till the beginning of May, before
they wing their way across the northern seas to their summer home. But do they all go? Does nota
remnant remain behind and breed in some part of Scotland? I think sufficient evidence has been adduced
by various writers that such is the case; but I must caution my readers not to mistake for it the Missel-
Thrush, which of late years has become very numerous in that country. I have no intention of casting a
doubt upon the truthfulness of those who have asserted that the Fieldfare breeds in the British Islands ;
for some of their remarks are certainly worthy of consideration, and, I think it likely, may be founded
in fact, and that now and then a pair, or a few pairs, may remain and breed in some suitable locality in the
Highlands. On this head the late Mr. St. John says :—‘*‘ 30th of April: the Fieldfares are still here, but not
in numbers as they were a few days ago, when large flocks passed by, on their way to the northward. A few
pairs I am told breed in the large woods near the Spey; and in 1848 I was shown a nest and eges brought
from that district by a brother of Mr. Dunbar, who described it as having been placed near the ground.”
In some remarks communicated to the ‘ Field’ by Mr. Alexander Fraser, of Barncluith, Hamilton, N. B., he
says :—‘‘I observe that several of your correspondents mention as rare the seeing of the Fieldfare in
Scotland as late as May. About a fortnight ago I had pointed out to me a nest supposed to be a Missel-
Thrush’s. The bird was evidently sitting. Two days after, the nest had been harried, and the eges taken
away ; however, I have the nest itself. It answers Hewitson’s description exactly. To-day I have discovered
another nest of the same bird. It has at present only one egg—a Fieldfare’s undoubtedly. The
gamekeeper here tells me he has frequently seen nests of the same bird; I also myself think I have observed
it before. I believe it is generally supposed not to breed in this country; here are at least two instances to
the contrary. Both nests were built in the first cleft of young trees, about 14 feet from the ground.”

Mr. Hewitson, who, with the enthusiasm of a true lover of nature, was induced to proceed on a bird-
nesting expedition to the coast of Norway in the summer of 1833, necompanred by his friends John Hancock
and B. Johnson, when speaking of this bird, says :—‘“‘ Intending that the Fieldfare should be our avant-courier

to its native land, it was with peculiar interest that we watched its long lingering in our own for weeks