A WILLING CAPTIVE. 151 



seemed to prefer the society of her owner and family to that of her 

 own species. During the whole winter she might be seen hopping 

 about the house and picking up the crumbs of bread from the floor 

 with the greatest composure, and she latterly became so fond of her 

 master as to follow him regularly to the workshop, where she 

 strutted about in the most majestic manner, displaying the most 

 threatening gestures when any stranger offered to interfere, but 

 taking care always to return to the house at night, where, after the 

 usual familiarities, she retired to her cage to rest. One night in 

 spring she was missing, but on the following day her ladyship 

 appeared in the family circle as usual, and no more absented herself 

 from the usual roosting-place, nor was she ever seen in company with 

 a mate. After this she preferred sitting during the night upon the 

 top of the cage, and about six weeks ago began to roost on the top 

 of the cupboard, or dresser, as it is sometimes styled, where she 

 commenced to build. She wrought most assiduously, carrying sand 

 and plaster, and then lined it with straw and any pieces of old cloth 

 she could find in the house, and would sometimes be engaged 

 amongst the children endeavouring to tear with her bill such pieces 

 as she found on the floor. On the very day on which she com- 

 pleted her nest, which occupied her a fortnight, she laid the first 

 egg, producing one each day for the four succeeding days. During 

 the time of hatching, which continued for eighteen days, she became 

 exceedingly irritable, wheeling round and putting herself on the 

 defensive at the approach of any one but her owner, whom alone 

 she considered entitled to any privileges. As soon as they were 

 hatched, however, she assumed her usual humble and peaceful 

 habits, her only anxiety being to procure food for the little ones. 

 Every morning at four o'clock she jumps into her owner's bed, 

 dinning him with loud and incessant screams till he is obliged to 

 rise and accompany his importunate protege to the garden, where he 

 digs up a few worms, which she greedily picks up and carries to her 

 young. It is now a week since they were produced, and when we 

 saw them last night they were doing well, the careful mother 

 sitting with great composure upon the edge of the nest, which posi- 

 tion she holds during the night, seemingly afraid of injuring her 

 little brood. 



We have said that the Blackbird is a very early and 

 late singer. Macgillivray records, that on May 6, 

 1837, one in the garden commenced his song at three in 

 the morning ; a fortnight after, I heard one as early as 

 half past two ; and in the middle of summer I have lis- 

 tened to it before going to bed, when the twilight peeped 

 in between the shutters upon the untired student, thus 

 admonished of the propriety of intermitting his labours. 



