232 The Blackbird. 



form of sport; but is followed by so few that it 

 does little to lessen the number of blackbirds. 

 And, lastly, great numbers are, as we have said, 

 killed by gardeners during the fruit season. Yet, 

 notwithstanding all this, their numbers appear to 

 suffer no diminution. In London, however, where 

 the bird has practically but one enemy the 

 prowling, ubiquitous cat we doubt if it would not 

 long ago have been extinct were not its numbers 

 continually recruited by immigrants from the 

 country. 



