FASSERES. ( 25 ) TURDID^. 



THE BLACKBIRD. 



OUZEL, GARDEN OUZEL, MERLE. 



Turdus ynerula. 

 %)^t Blacfeie. 



Oh ! whai my friend and I 

 In some thick wood have ^vandered heedless on, 

 Hid p'om the vulgar eye, attd sat us dowfi 

 Upon the sloping cowslip-covered bank, 

 Where the pure limpid stream has slid along 

 In grateful errors through the tittderwood. 

 Sweet murmuring ; methought ! the shrill-tongued Thrush 

 Mended his song of love ; the sooty Blackbird 

 Mellowed his pipe, and softened every note. 



Blaik, The Grave. 



'The Merle, in his nootitide boiu'r, 

 Makes woodland echoes ring. 



Burns, Queen of Scots. 



The rich tlute-like notes of the Blackbird " telling his love- 

 tale to his mate," in the spring and early summer months, 

 although they lack the variety of those of the Mavis,^ give 

 an additional charm to the music of our woods and dells, and 

 render it one of our most favourite birds. 



Its loud, clear, and melodious song is heard with the 

 best effect in some of our wooded deans, on a calm, sunny 



^ This seems to have been observed as early as the time of Sir David Lindsay 

 of The Mount, who is supposed to have written Tht Complayiit of Scotland about 

 1548, for he says in it : — 



The Maveis maid myrtht for to mok the Merle. 



