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BLACKBIRD.— rurdlM meru'a. 



upper tail-coverfcs. The under parts are greyisli-brown covered on the neck and chest 

 with spots of a darker hue. Tlie total length of the adult bird is about seven inches. 



Among the best known and best loved of our British songsters, the Blackbird is one 

 of the most conspicuous. 



This well-known bird derives its popular name from the uniformly black hue of its 

 plumage, which is only relieved by the bright orange-coloured bill of the male bird. 

 The song of this creature is remarkable for its full mellowness of note, and is ever a 

 welcome sound to the lover of nature, and her vocal and visual harmonies. Often the 

 poor bird suffers for its voice ; and being kept within the bars of a cage, is forced to sing 

 its wild native notes " in a strange land." In captivity it is sometimes subjected to 

 training, and has been taught to whistle tunes with great spirit and precision. Generally 

 the bird sings in the daytime, but there are times wlien it encroaches upon the acknow- 

 ledged province of the nightingale, and makes the night echoes ring with its rich ringing 

 tones. 



It is rather curious that even in its native state the Blackbird is something of a mimic, 

 and will imitate the voices of other birds with remarkable skiU, even teaching itself to 

 crow like a cock and to cackle like a hen. 



The Blackbird feeds usually on insects, but it also possesses a great love of fruit, and 

 in the autumn ravages the gardens and orchards in a most destructive manner, picking 

 out all the best and ripest fruit, and wisely leaving the still immatured produce to ripen 

 on the branches. Perhaps it may be partly carnivorous, as one of these birds was seen to 

 attack and kill a shrew mouse. 



As it is so common a bird, and constantly haunts the hedgerows, it is greatly 

 persecuted by juvenile gunner.s, whom it contrives to draw away from its nest by flitting 

 in and out of the hedge, always taking care to keep out of shot range, and having a 

 curious habit of slipping through the hedge, and flying quieth' back to its nest, almost 

 touching the surface of tlie ground in its rapid progress. It is not a sociable bird, being 

 seldom seen in company with others of its own species, and not often even together with 

 its mate. 



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