TURDUS MERULA. 267 



begun to whistle. Next year it whistled so well and looked 

 so beautiful that it was coveted, and sold to Mr Bell, of Belmont 

 Dundee. And to show the freaks of birds themselves in nest- 

 building — 



"A pair of blackbirds built their nest between the spokes of a railway 

 waggon wheel, said waggon being in use several times a day. About 150 

 yards to the west of Cairntows level crossing, on the Niddrie and 

 Edinburgh branch of the N.B.R., to the south of Duddingston Loch, there 

 is a siding for a brake-truck, which is attached to the waggons taken up the 

 incline to St Leonards Dep6t. It is removed three times each day, at 6.30 

 11 a.m., and 4- p.m., and returned to the siding about 7.30 a.m., 12 noon, 

 and 5 p.m. From the 7th to the 14th April 1879 the guards who work the 

 traffic stationed on the branch saw the footboard opposite the right front 

 wheel littered with straws, mud, &c, but paid no special attention. On 

 the 15th, at 5 P.m., the brake was placed in the siding, not being needed 

 until 11 a.m. next day, the 16th. When they came the guards were surprised 

 to find a nest partly completed between the two spokes of the wheel behind 

 the centre of the waggon spring and horn-plate. The nest was carefully 

 removed and laid on the ground, and at each trip was returned to its place. 

 This was done daily. By the 19th the nest was complete. On the 21st one 

 egg was laid, another on the 22d, and on the 23d a third was added. Each 

 time the guards approached the truck the bird was found sitting on the nest 

 and it was with difficulty she was induced to leave it. To prevent the nest 

 being destroyed during the absence of the brake it was placed under the 

 chock-block at the entrance to the siding, where it could not be seen by 

 passers-by. The bird sat constantly up till the 26th (Saturday), but during 

 Sunday some ruthless hand had been at work, for when the guards returned 

 on Monday morning the nest was found destroyed, and the eggs lying 

 amongst the ballast. It is to be regretted that an opportunity was not 

 given to see if she could have brought out the young in such peculiar cir- 

 cumstances. " — From the Scotsman. 



A pair curiously built two nests in one wicker basket at 

 Cameron Bridge Distillery contiguous to each other, and reared 

 their young ; the birds were very familiar with the workmen. 

 On May 21st, 1884, the Dundee Evening Telegraph said — 



"A pair of confiding blackbirds have built their nest in a hollow of one 

 of the "shores" supporting the staging between two ships constructing in 

 Craigie Shipyard. Notwithstanding the noise the birds seem quite un- 

 disturbed. The hen is now hatching five eggs. The workmen are 

 attached to the birds, and take care to prevent any injury befalling them." 



But on the 26th of June 1882 I got a nest in a wall tree at the 

 Shorebridge with six deep-sitten eggs cold and wet, uncared for, 

 this being the third blackbird's nest with unhatched eggs, and 

 one with dead young ones, I had found in gardens that year, 

 through the old birds being shot — a sad proof of the mortality 

 of our mellow whistling blackbird, which caused me to pen 

 these trifling lines " On a Missed Blackbird" — 



Nae mair I hear your cheerie note 



When morning dawns or e'ning fa's — 

 Alas ! I fear your little throat 



Is hushed through man's unfeeling laws. 



