MERULID. 69 
might well be allowed a small amount of fruit 
without grudging, the greater part being easily 
suarded from his depredation. Moreover, the whole 
of the fruit eaten by the Blackbird is not such as 
comes under the protection of the gardener; for ivy, 
laurel and blackberries, and many other wild berries 
are considered by him equally good eating with the 
best productions of the garden. In the stomachs of 
several that I have examined the fruit and the insect 
portion of the food have been pretty equally divided. 
In the stomach of one shot in the garden, however, 
I found as many as six small black beetles and only 
two gooseberries; and in that of another two wasps, 
nearly whole, and two or three common house-flies. 
During this dry summer of 1868 both Blackbirds 
and Thrushes have been most busily employed in 
devouring snails. 
The Blackbird is much too well known to need 
any other description than that given of him by 
Bottom— 
“ The ouzel cock so black of hue, 
With orange-tawny bill.” 
The hen differs considerably, and as our friend 
Bottom does not mention her, I may give the fol- 
lowing description:—The bill is dark horn-colour ; 
all the upper parts dark olive-brown; the throat 
reddish brown, streaked with dusky; all the rest of 
