The BlaclcUrd. 71 



brought on by feeding him ou insufficiently nutritious food: 

 with care, however, he will live from twelve to fifteen years 

 in a house, although Bechstein affirms that he will not endure 

 for more than five or six. 



The Blackbird requires a large cage, and great attention 

 to cleanliness to keep his feet in good order, and to preserve 

 intact his beautiful plumage, which is apt to turn a dull 

 rusty black, if he is kept in a dark place and not allowed 

 to bathe, when he is also frequently troubled with enlarge- 

 ment and obstruction of the rump gland. 



The remedies are obvious: for in this, as in so many other 

 cases, ''prevention is better than cure." 



I venture here to quote Lord Tennyson's beautiful lines on 



THE BLACKBIED. 



O Blackbird! sing me something well: 

 While all the neighbours shoot thee round, 

 I keep smooth plats of fruitful ground, 



Where thou maj^'st warble, eat, and dwell. 



The espaliers and the standards all 



Are thine ; the range of lawn and park : 

 The unnetted black hearts ripen dark, 



All thine, against the garden wall. 



Yet, tho' I spared thee all the spring, 



Thy sole delight is, sitting still, 



With that gold dagger of thy bill 

 To fret the summer jenneting. 



A golden bill! the silver tongue, 



Cold February loved, is dry: 



Plenty corrupts the melody 

 That made thee famous once, when young ; 



And in the sultry garden-squares, 



Now thy flute notes are changed to coarse, 

 I hear thee not at all, or hoarse 



As when a hawker hawks his wares. 



Take warning! he that will not sing 



While yon sun prospers in the blue. 



Shall sing for want, ere leaves are new, 

 Caught in the frozen palms of Spring. 



