BIRDS In cases where the record of a bird's occurrence is open to doubt the entry in the following list is placed within square brackets. Brackets placed around the name of the original describer of a species indicate that he did not employ the generic name which is now adopted. Mistletoe Thrush or viscivorus, Linn. Mistle-Thrush. Turdus Locally, Thrush or Thrice-Cock, Storm-Cock. Resident and generally distributed ; breeding in gardens close to or even within the town of Leicester. Its fine bold song may be heard in open weather quite early in the year, and sometimes even in Decem- ber. Mr. G. Frisby of Quorn also records it as being in full song on 7 Dec. 1905, and mentions its singing at Woodthorpe on 30 Oct. 1906. It is often seen in small (family) parties, but is not gre- garious. Regarding its nesting Mr. H. S. Davenport wrote * that 'two missel-thrushes call them A and B built nests at the same time in low trees within six yards of each other, opposite the hall-door at Ash- lands, in May, 1883, and successfully reared their broods. A few days later both birds returned to B's nest, in which they deposited nine eggs, of which I took four away, and on the remainder A began to sit ; meanwhile B constructed another nest a short distance off and both birds reared their second broods in safety. In the first instance the eggs in both nests presented distinctive features.' Mr. Frisby informs me that one day in the autumn of 1906 he saw a company of fifteen to twenty mistle- thrushes ' hawking' busily high up in the air. Mr. W. J. Horn records its singing 15 Nov. 1896 and 26 Dec. 1894. 2. Song-Thrush. Turdus muslcus, Linn. Locally, Mavis (often corrupted to Mavish), Throstle. Resident and common, its ranks are considerably increased during the autumn by immigration, when the note a single one of the arriving birds may be heard during mild nights in October. It breeds commonly on the verge of the town of Leicester. Mr. G. Frisby records its song on 5 Oct. 1 906. The most singular site for its nest was one selected in April, 1895, in a garden on the ' Freemen's Com- mon,' Leicester. This nest was built on an orna- mental bracket, above the door of the 'summer-house,' about 6 ft. from the ground, perfectly exposed, and liable to be disturbed by anyone passing in or out, whilst not 2 ft. distant was a growth of ivy covering the roof and sides of the house, in which the nest might have been well concealed. Notwithstanding the exposed situation selected, the bird successfully brought off her brood. Varieties of this species occa- sionally occur, and Harley has recorded three albino birds taken out of a nest at Aylestone. 3. Redwing. Turdus lliacus, Linn. A winter migrant, generally distributed, but not remaining to breed. It arrives about the middle of October and remains sometimes until late in the spring. In some years the redwing appears in greater abundance than in others, as noted by the late Dr. Macaulay. 1 A record of its supposed nesting in Leicestershire appeared in the Field, 6 Aug. 1864, contributed by the late Mr. Joseph H. Ellis, to which, however, is appended the following editorial note : ' We decline expressing an opinion as to the supposed Redwing's egg, but we think the reasons for arriving at the conclusion that it is so are hardly sufficient.' 4. Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, Linn. Locally, Felt, Feltyfare, Pigeon-Felt. A winter migrant, but not remaining to breed. It appears about the middle of October and usually leaves at the end of March or beginning of April, or even later should the weather be severe. Harley mentions in his notes that he had seen a few stragglers in May, and even onward until June ; but no doubt Harley, like others, mistook the mistle-thrush for the fieldfare ; nevertheless, the late Dr. Macaulay reported a large flock going north on 14 April, 1892, and again, fieldfares passing on 17 April, and on I and 2 May ; Mr. Davenport also reported seeing five on 12 May, 1879. Mr. G. Frisby of Quorn reports the first arrival there of this bird in 1906 to be on 1 8 Oct., but Mr. Davenport, if not mistaken, saw one at Lowesby in 1877 as early as 2 Sept. One appears to have been shot at Kirby Muxloe on 29 July, 1864 (J. H. Ellis, in Zool. 1864, p. 9248). It occurs wherever berries of the hawthorn or moun- tain ash remain, and hence may be seen quite close to Leicester, or in gardens in other towns and villages during severe weather. Mr. W. J. Horn saw a flock at Saddington on 28 April, 1900. 5. Blackbird. Turdus merula, Linn. Resident and common ; breeding early in the spring in gardens close to and in Leicester. Harley occasionally met with its nest upon the ground, and in the spring of 1884 saw a nest containing five eggs which had been found on the crest and within the flower-stalks of a turnip, several yards from any fence or hedge. Varieties constantly occur, and several are preserved in the Leicester Museum * ; one in particular, which bred in the late Mr. A. Paget's garden in West Street opposite the museum, was the same one apparently, which was afterwards shot on the Freeman's Common, I Dec. 1888. Its head and nape are pure white, the remainder of the body much patched with white, many of the primaries white, bill of normal colour, but toes curiously barred with white at every joint. Mr. George Chamberlain told the writer of a pure white living blackbird which many years ago, about 1860-5, was in the possession of a a Browne, op. cit. Mid. Kat. 13 Nov. 1881. 4 Will afterwards be abbreviated to museum only. 117
