END OF APRIL 90 
=~ 
plumage, that of the hen being brownish 
and sometimes even quite grey. He has 
also fine yellow eyelids, and a markedly 
yellow beak. The beak does not, however, 
- become of this deep colour till the spring 
after his birth, being brown till then. The 
hen is somewhat the smaller bird, and is not 
so active, nor does she show the same excite- 
ment nor make the same noise as the cock. 
The blackbird, though so fine in every way, 
ised ereat depredator im the fruit garden, 
though perhaps not more so than the starling 
and some other birds. He greedily consumes 
ripe fruits of all kinds, and on this account, 
and because of his numbers in some localities, 
he becomes a veritable nuisance. So the 
fruit grower does not hesitate to shoot him 
mrereilessiy. Let no one despise’ ~his flesh 
if he must be destroyed, for he is a toothsome 
morsel. Again, like thrushes, blackbirds do 
mot tock together; only at nesting time 
do they consort with the females. During 
great cold they seek the southern counties, 
poe. ado ot. leave the country. [hey are 
