A WINTER BIRD-STUDY. 61 



and he hopped around it, excited, even furious, 

 to see his property in the possession of another. 

 He put his bill between the wires — though the 

 tenant was the dreaded blackbird — and pulled 

 and pushed and jerked, and in every way 

 tried to get the dishes out ; and when at last 

 the enemy left the cage for a bath, he rushed 

 in, flew to these cups, and scattered seed and 

 water far and wide. He was in a terrible rage. 



The looking-glass — heart-breaking to many 

 birds — does not trouble the thrush. If he 

 chances to alight where he catches sight of his 

 own reflection, he utters a quiet *' chook " or 

 two, and stands a few minutes looking earnestly 

 at the room " through the looking-glass," mani- 

 festing surprise, but no particular pain. 



Introducing a new bird to the room is almost 

 certain to arouse jealousy in the older residents. 

 The thrush suffers from this feeling, though he 

 never mopes or grieves over it, as do many 

 birds; he is angry. If I feed the blackbird 

 from the same hand that feeds him, he will 

 give the offending member a violent peck, by 

 way of reproof ; when I offer hemp-seed to a 

 seed-eater, the thrush instantly a})pears on the 

 scene and greedily devours every seed he can 

 secure, though he never touched them before, 

 and swallows them now without shelling ; and 

 when he shows rage at my giving the black- 



