1 98 Remarks on Hybrids. 



Art. II. Afevo Remarks on Hybrids, in reference to Mr. Berry's 

 Communication in VII. 599. By Mr. Edward Blyth. 



Scit thalamo servare fidem, sanctasque veretur 

 Connubii leges : non ilium in pectore candor 

 Sollicitat niveus j neque pravum accendit amorem 

 Splendida lanugo, vel honesta in vertice crista, 

 Purpureusve nitor pennarumj ast agmina late 

 Foerainea explorat cautus, maculasque requirit 

 Cognatas, paribusque interlita corpora guttis : 

 Ni faceret, pictis sylvam circum undique monstris 

 Confusam aspiceres vulgo, partusque biformes, 

 Et genus ambiguum, et Veneris monumenta nefandee. 



Hinc merula in nigro se oblectat nigra marito ; 

 Hinc socium lasciva petit philomela canorum, 

 Agnoscitque pares sonitus ; hinc noctua tetram 

 Canitiem alarum, et glaucos miratur ocellos. 

 Nempe sibi semper constat, crescitque quotannis 

 Lucida progenies, castos confessa parentes j 

 Dum virides inter saltus lucosque sonoros 

 Vere novo exultat, plumasque decora juventus 

 Explicat ad solem, patriisque coloribus ardet. 



Addison, in the Spectator, No. 412. 



Chaste are their instincts, faithful is their fire, 

 No foreign beauty tempts to false desire : 

 The snow-white vesture, and the glittering crown, 

 The simple plumage, or the glossy down, 

 Prompt not their love : the patriot bird pursues 

 His well-acquainted tints, and kindred hues ; 



Hence, through their tribes, no mix'd, polluted flame, 

 No monster-breed to mark the grove with shame : 

 But the chaste blackbird, to its partner true, 

 Thinks black alone is beauty's favourite hue ; 

 The nightingale, with mutual passion blest, 

 Sings to its mate, and nightly charms the nest ; 

 While the dark owl, to court his partner, flies, 

 And owns his offspring in their yellow eyes. 



Goldsmith'* Paraphrase.* 



In VII. 599., the very extraordinary circumstance is re- 

 corded, of a wild blackbird and a wild thrush pairing toge- 

 ther, and rearing, two successive years, broods of hybrid 

 progeny; " which were permitted to fly, and" which " evinced, 

 in all respects, the features of strongly marked hybrids." 

 With all respect, however, and deference for Mr. Berry's 

 statement, I must beg leave to express a little scepticism on 

 this subject; and I hope that that gentleman will not see any 

 just cause to be offended at this free declaration of my opi- 

 nions. The various phenomena of hybrids have long engaged 

 my particular attention, and as this fact would, if thoroughly 

 authenticated, upset one of my principal conclusions respect- 



* Animated Nature, iii. 211. Yet this writer, after Buffon, advocates a 

 contrary opinion. See the page above quoted. 



