14 BRITISH BIRDS 



difficult to rear than those of the Song Thrush when 

 treated as advised for the latter. 



In confinement the Blackbird will sometimes breed and 

 even successfully rear a brood of young ones, especially 

 in a good-sized garden aviary, but it is not unusual for 

 the eggs to be barren, the male not being nearly as ardent 

 as the Thrush. 



Alliances with the latter are mentioned, among others 

 by Morris, but from hearsay only, and must be accepted 

 with reserve. 



The diseases of the Blackbird are much the same as 

 those of the Song Thrush, and are to be treated as advised 

 in the case of that bird. Bechstein mentions, in addition, 

 an obstruction of the rump-gland, which he considers, no 

 doubt correctly, to be due to insufficient bathing. 



The handsome plumage and rich mellow tones of the 

 male have made the Blackbird a great favourite with 

 persons w^ho like to have tame birds about them, and 

 with justice, for his imitative powers are such, that he will 

 not only pick up and render correctly a tune, or tunes, that 

 may be played or whistled to him, but he will also learn 

 to repeat words and short sentences with extraordinary 

 accuracy. His natural note, however, is broken with a 

 variety of noisy tones, and is more agreeable when heard 

 in the open country from a low bush, or now and then 

 from amid the branches of a moderately high tree, than 

 when uttered in the house. 



In a state of nature, the song of this species is heard 

 in the spring chiefly, the season of courtship among 

 birds; it is prolonged during the period of incubation, 

 and ceases as soon as the young are hatched, to be 

 renewed again in the autumn; but in the house a Black- 

 bird will sing pretty well all the year round, sometimes 

 not even resting during the period of moult. 



Many people prefer the song of the Blackbird to that 

 of the Bullfinch, whose voice, as the venerable father of 

 cage-bird lore remarks, is softer and more flute-like, but also 

 more melancholy. The price of the two birds, continues 

 Bechstein, is about the same, when well taught. 



