i6 THE BIRDS OF BERKS AND BUCKS, 



and the whole of the breast of the bird was of a light 

 yellow colour, more like the breast of a Song Thrush. 

 The bill was light brown. This specimen was a 

 female, probably a last year's bird. I saw it in the 

 flesh ; it was of the usual size of the Blackbird, and 

 in tolerably good condition, irides yellow, and eyes of 

 the usual colour.' 



This was probably one of the pied brood which 

 frequented Wingfield Park during 1866. 



Another pied Blackbird was seen some years since 

 near Ditton Park ; and Mr. Drye, a bird-stuffer, of Eton, 

 informed me that about ten years ago he had several 

 nearly white birds of this species. An ^^g of this 

 bird, hardly larger than that of a house sparrow, was 

 found in a nest with other eggs of the usual size and 

 colour. I have in several instances found this bird's 

 nest built on the ground, and I discovered one in 

 1863, in Hertfordshire, which was entirely composed 

 of dry leaves, with a few hairs as a lining. 



In i860, a pied Blackbird was killed near the 

 cavalry barracks at Spital. In 1862, several black 

 and white birds of this species were observed in 

 Ashridge Park, the seat of Earl Brownlow. A male 

 and female of this species, almost pure white in 

 plumage, had been observed frequenting a particular 

 spot in Windsor Forest for the greater part of 1866. 

 One of these was shot by a rat-catcher in December, 

 1866, and was taken to Mr. Hasell, at Windsor, who 

 ascertained it to be a young male. 



