90 BIRD NOTES 



have not time to think whether or not he is really 

 a very powerful adversary. He never, however, 

 flies at the tits. Perhaps they are beneath his 

 notice; or perhaps he thinks they cannot eat 

 much. I have seen even him fly before the 

 nuthatch : this, however, he does not always do, 

 though I doubt whether he would dare attack one, 

 unless its beak was pre-occupied with bacon. I 

 say ' he ' because of the bird's militant character, 

 but I have no idea whether it is a cock or hen. 

 It is a curiously short, thick bird, with fierce eyes 

 watchful and intelligent. 



What a wonderful ear the thrush must have ! 

 I saw one on the lawn a little while ago, listening, 

 as they do, for worms, close to a noisy lawn-mower 

 that was being worked in the next garden. It 

 appeared to have no difficulty in finding the 

 worms by its ear as usual ! I saw something not 

 so wonderful, but much more distressing, on that 

 lawn a short time ago a blackbird pecking out 

 the eyes of another blackbird ! I had seen them 

 sparring some time before, and did not disturb 

 them. I wish now that I had done so, for on 

 going to the window a few minutes later, one bird 

 was struggling on the ground, the other over it, 

 and pecking hard at its eyes. I rushed down, but 

 they were gone. I shall never again listen with 

 so much pleasure to the singing of a blackbird. 



