66 T M E S P A R. R O W K I N I). 



The Blackbird whiftles early in fprihgy and all fummer-tinnie, with 9 

 note extremely pleafing at a difbance (being the deepeft toned warbling 

 of the woods), but rather unplealant in a cage, being too loud ; lays four 

 or five blueiih eggs, in a neft ufually built at the fl^unnp of fome old 

 hawthorn, well plaiftered on the infide with clay, ftraw, and hair. Is 

 more eafily tanned than thrulhesj readily improves its fong, and will 

 counterfeit the human voice j love to bathe themfelves. Birds of prey 

 are fond of their flefli. . Of the fame kind are fome black and whitCy 

 fome white, and fome rofe-coloured : to avoid, therefore, the ridicule 

 of a rofe-coloured black-bird, the clafs ihould aflbme its old Englilh name 

 of ouzel. 



Among the ouzels muft be reckoned the Blue -bird, which re- 

 fembles a blackbird, except in colour -, it lives in the higheft Alps (as alfo a 

 rock-ouzel, which even there choofes the moil craggy rocks and the mofl 

 frightful precipices for its refidence) j is rarely caught, but highly efteem- 

 ed in the countries where it breeds. It not only whiftles delightfully, 

 but fpeaks diftin6lly ; is docile, and, though waked at midnight by any 

 of the family with a light, it will fpeak and whiftle. Its colour, 

 toward winter, from blue becomes blackifli, which re-changes to its 

 original hue early in fpring. It makes its neft in deep holes, or in 

 folitudes inaccefTible, not only by man, but aifo by the fhammoy, or 

 other wild animals i produces ufually five young ; feldom defcends into 

 the plain; flies fwifcer than a blackbird, and ufes the fame food ; defends 

 its neft by ftriking at the eyes of the alTailants. 



The Fieldfare and the Red-wing make but a Ihort ftay in this 

 country. With us they are infipid tunelefs birds, flying in flocks, and 

 exceflively watchful to prefcrve the general fafety. Their feafon of 

 mufic and pkafure is employed in the more northern climates, where 

 they fing moft delightfully, perched, among the forefts of maples, with 

 which thofe countries abound. They build their nefts in hedges, and 

 lay fix blueifh-green eggs fpotted with black. Linnasus mentions a field- 

 fare fo tame as to drink wine out of the glafies on the table ; he drank 

 fo much as to render him bald; but being kept a whole year without 

 wine, l^is feathers returned. Is a bird of pafl[age, clofely allied to the 

 thrulh. 



The Stare, or Starling, diftinguifliable from the reft of this tribe 

 by the gloflfy green of its feathers, in fome lights, 'and the purple in 

 Others, and its fpots, breeds in hollow trees, eaves of houfcs, towers, 



ruins. 



