xix LETTERS TO MARCO 127 



dead. I believe these worms are not in a 

 proper state for the crops of the birds, as I 

 have noticed thrushes, after having extracted 

 a worm from the ground, do not carry it away 

 immediately, but peck it about, possibly separ- 

 ating some part that is unwholesome, or else 

 giving it a sort of mastication which renders 

 it digestible. Some worms after extraction 

 are abandoned by the birds without any 

 apparent reason. 



There is evidently a large percentage 

 of loss in every brood ; I think it is unlikely 

 that more than two birds out of each brood 

 survive to maturity. Rooks, magpies, and 

 jackdaws often help themselves to young half- 

 fledged birds from the nests ; but the young 

 of thrushes and blackbirds are chiefly deci- 

 mated when they first quit the nests, being 

 exceedingly helpless and awkward on the 

 ground. Our cat and my neighbour's one are 

 very much on the alert at this season, 

 and no doubt in wilder places stoats and 

 weasels are wide awake just now ; anyhow, I 



