68 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 
its egg is said to be much like that of the Black- 
bird. 
Buackpinp, Vurdus merula. The Blackbird (in 
these parts invariably called the “ Colley”), like the 
Thrush, is much admired for its song, and equally, 
if not more, persecuted by the gardener for its fruit- 
eating propensities. Like the Thrush, too, it 1s an 
early nester, and generally chooses much the same 
sort of place for its nest, which is made of much the 
same materials and lined with fine bents. 
This is another of the birds which appear in 
M. Prevost’s list, a perusal of which would con- 
vince, I think, even a gardener, that the Blackbird 
does him at least as much good as harm. It is as 
follows :—‘ January, seeds, spiders and chrysalids ; 
February, the same; March, worms, buds of trees 
and grubs; April, insects, worms and grubs; May, 
cockchafiers and worms; June, worms, grubs and 
fruit; July, all sorts of insects, worms and fruit; 
August, the same; September, the same; October, 
worms, chrysalids and grubs of butterflies; No- 
vember, seeds, corn and chrysalids; December, the 
same.” In this list, though the words “fruit” and 
“buds” appear, it is only for a short time in the 
year that the Blackbird can regale himself upon 
these luxuries, and throughout every month mis- 
chievous grubs and insects form the staple portion 
of his food. If the amount of damage which would 
be done by these were calculated, the Blackbird 
