Fieldfares, which are well-known winter inhabitants of England;

arrive here in great flocks

from Russia, Siberia, and other more northern parts of the Continent, about the beginning of October, and feed during that season on the hawthorn, holly, and other berries. They leave in March, for, their breeding places in Sweden and Norway.

There is reason to suppose that the flocks of these birds keep a kind of watch, to remark and announce the appearance 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.

Though Fieldfares build their nests in high trees, and sit on trees in the day-time, yet they always roost on the ground. These birds were held in high esteem by the Roman epicures; who had them in their aviaries, and fattened them with crumbs of bread mixed with minced figs.

THE BLACKBIRD.

The food of the Blackbird consists principally of Worms and shelled Snails; the latter of which, in order to get at the animal, it dashes with great dexterity against the stones. All kinds of insects, as well as fruit, it also eagerly seeks after. In confinement it will eat crumbs of bread; and even flesh, either raw or cooked.

BLACKBIRD.

This is a solitary bird; never congregating, and in general prefering woods and retired situations. Its song is a shrill kind of whistle of various notes; which, although extremely fine, is too loud for any place except woods or open grounds. It commences this early in the spring, and continues it through some part of summer; it desists during the moulting season, but resumes it, for some time, in September and the first winter months.

Blackbirds breed early in the spring. They prepare a nest composed externally of green moss, fibrous roots, and other similar materials: the inside is plastered with earth, and afterwards lined with fine dry grass. The nest is usually placed in a thick bush, against the side of a tree, or on a stump in the side of a bank. The female lays four or five light-blue eggs, thickly covered with pale rust-colored spots, particularly at the large end.

BLACKBIRD.

When the young ones are taken from the nest, they should for

THE COW BLACKBIRD.

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some time be fed on raw meat, bread, and bruised hempseed: the meat should be chopped small, the bread a little wetted, and then the whole mixed together. It is necessary to keep them clean.

THE RED-WINGED BLACK BIRD, OR TROOPIAL.

The Red-winged Blackbird in summer inhabits the whole of North America from

thunder, and exhibiting amidst the broad shadows of their funereal plumage, the bright flashing of the vermilion with which their wings are so singularly decorated. After whirling and waving a little distance, like the Starling, they descend as a torrent, and darkening the branches of the trees by their numbers, they commence a general concert that may be heard for more than two miles.

When their food begins to fail in the fields, they assemble with the Purple Grakles, very familiarly around the corn-cribs and in the barn-yards, greedily and dexterously gleaning up every thing within their reach. In the month of March, Mr. Bullock found them very numerous and bold near the city of Mexico.

THE COW TROOPIAL, OR COW BLACK-BIRD.

The Cow-pen Bird, perpetually gregarious and flitting, is observed to enter the Middle and Northern States in the latter end of March or the beginning of April. They make their migration now chiefly under cover of the night, or early dawn; and as the season becomes milder they pass on to Canada, and perhaps follow the Warblers and other small birds into the farthest regions of the north, for they are seen no more after the middle of June, until the return of autumn, when, with the colds of October, they again reappear in numerous and augmented flocks, usually associated with their kindred Red

wings, to whom they bear a sensible likeness, as well as a similarity in notes and manners. They pass the winter in the warmer parts

of America as well as in the Southern States, where I have observed them in the ploughed fields, gleaning along with the Red-wings and the common Black-birds. They are also very familiar around the cattle, picking up insects which they happen to disturb, or that

exist in their ordure. When on the ground, they scratch up the soil and appear very intent after their food. Sometimes even, infringing on the rights of the Plover, individuals in the winter, frequent the margins of ponds in quest of aquatic insects and small Shell-fish; and they may be seen industriously occupied in turning over the leaves of the water-plants to which they adhere. They also frequent occasionally the rice and corn-fields, as well as their more notorious associates, but are more inclined to native food and insects at all times, so that they are more independent and less injurious to the farmer. As they exist in Mexico, and California, it is probable, that they are also bred in the higher table lands, as well as in the regions of the north. In Louisiana, however, according to Audubon, they are rare visitors at any season, seeming more inclined to follow their route through the maritime districts. Over these countries, high in the air, in the month of October, they are seen by day winging their way to the remoter regions of the south.

The whole continent of America, from Labrador to Mexico, and the great Antilles, are the occasional residence of this truly migratory species. About the middle of March, or beginning of April, the cheerful Bob-o-link makes his appearance in the southern extremity of the United States, becoming gradually arrayed in his nuptial livery, and accompanied by troops of his companions, who often precede the arrival of their more tardy mates. According to Richardson it is the beginning of June when they arrive at their farthest boreal station in the fifty-forth degree. We observed them in the great western plains to the base of the Rocky Mountains, but not in Oregon. Their