96 AN OFF DAY— 
coated with mud and clay. These dry to- 
gether firmly. But no clay lines the interior, 
as in the case of the thrush Gee’) Part faa 
17); the inside is lined with fine grasses and 
roots. The clay lining at once distinguishes 
the two nests, which are otherwise very 
similar when seen from below. A common 
nesting-place for the blackbird is a thick 
hedge, and an evergreen is also a favourite 
spot. Four or five eggs are laid; they are 
of a light greenish-blue ground colour, freely 
spotted with pale brown. The nest which 
we found contained four eggs. Even more 
than three broods may be raised each year. 
Were we to regard the notes of this wily bird 
as atriumphant screech of scorn, at the foolish 
human beings who were deceived into think- 
ing that its nest was close by ? or do they, as 
a rule, mean a marked protest, or an exclam- 
ation of vexation at being intruded upon ? 
I found another nest similar in every respect 
to this one close by, but without any eggs ; 
nor did I see another pair of birds there. 
This may show that blackbirds, like some 
