The Thrush Tribe. 53 



and water, to which a little lean beef or mutton may 

 be added three times a week; and this must be varied 

 by occasional treats of hard egg, German paste, cheese, 

 boiled potato or carrot, snails, earwigs, and meal- 

 worms. If a snail be put into the cage, a smooth 

 stone must be put in with it for the Thrush to crush 

 it upon. He must have a large cage, well strewn with 

 coarse sand or gravel, and should be well supplied 

 with water for drinking and bathing; but his bath 

 should be taken away when used, as the bird is liable 

 to cramp. The food and water should be put outside 

 of the cage, if possible. The Thrush will live many 

 years in confinement, if properly fed and cared for : 

 the two ailments to which he is most subject are con- 

 stipation and atrophy. For the first, a large spider 

 is the best remedy ; for the second, abundance of pure 

 fresh air and a change of diet should be given. The 

 male and female are so much alike in colour, that it 

 is very difficult to distinguish them ; the hen is a little 

 smaller, and has not quite such a glossy brown plumage 

 as the male ; so that the purchaser of a Thrush should 

 make sure of its sex by hearing its song. The cock 

 has great imitative powers, and will readily learn tunes 

 played on wind instruments or whistled to him. 



The BLACKBIRD (Turdus merula). Although the 

 Blackbird is not so good a songster as his relative the 

 Thrush, he has a very cheery mellow song, and, being 

 a lively joyous creature, is in many respects a desirable 



