92 TURDUS MERULA. 



solicitations of love, to form alliances with other species of the 

 same genus, or such as resemble them closely in size and habits, 

 when they have not an opportunity of making a choice, is not 

 wonderful ; but that they should do so when left to the freedom 

 of their will is rather strange, and what seldom occurs. Mr 

 Russell of Moss-side, my next neighbouring proprietor, and his 

 brother, informed me that about the conclusion of the winter 

 of 1886, a male Blackbird and a female Thrush fed occasionally 

 together within a short distance of their house. At the com- 

 mencement of spring their attachment to each other appeared 

 more decided ; they carried on a course of regular flirtation 

 which eventually ended in matrimony. How the Thrush should 

 have fallen in love with her dusky neighbour is not easily ac- 

 counted for ; but from this it would appear that the females of 

 the feathered tribe have their peculiar notions of beauty as well 

 as those amongst mankind. But, after all, the union of these 

 birds is not so wonderful as that of one of Eve's fair daughters 

 whose complexion is almost as white as the snow, with one 

 of Afric"'s flat-nosed sons with a countenance black as jet. 

 After a good deal of consultation the pair at length determined 

 to build their nest in a bush of heath which hung over what 

 our Scotch folk denominate a ' farret brae.' I did not see 

 their eggs, as they had four young ones before their nest was 

 discovered, so cunningly had they concealed it. When nearly 

 half fledged, I am sorry to say, that on Sunday forenoon the 3d 

 of July, during the hours of divine service, they were carried 

 off by some most daring nest-hunting youths, notwithstanding 

 all the care that had been taken to preserve them.*" 



The same gentleman has furnished me with an account of a 

 series of observations having reference to the feeding of young 

 birds while yet unfledged. Those which refer to the present 

 species are here given. 



" Mr Pennant says, that ' among the feathered tribe all the 

 cares of life fall to the lot of the tender sex."* ' The male does 

 not sing after the young are hatched :' — so says Charles F. 

 Partington, Esquire, in his work the British Cyclopaedia, now 

 publishing. And thus writes that distinguished naturalist 

 Colonel Montagu : — ' When the callow brood appears the 



