200 THE RING BLACKBIRD. 



apple. More delicate than tlie song tlnubli. he would not digest nier? 

 bran and water. He delights in bathing often, and should therefore be 

 furnished mth the means for so doing. 



Breeding. — As the blackbird does not travel he pairs early in the 

 spring, and the first young are hatched by the end of March. The nest, 

 placed in a thick bush, or in a heap of boughs, is formed on the outside of 

 stalks, then of moss and mud. and lined in the inside with fine hay, hair, 

 and wool. The female lays three times a year, from four to six eggs, of a 

 greenish gray, spotted and streaked with light brown ; when the young are 

 hatched the males are always darker than the females, therefore bird- 

 catchers can never be mistaken when they take the former and leave the 

 latter. They are easily reared on white bread soaked in boiled milk, a 

 little raw beef, and worms dipped in water. It is better to take them 

 from the nest when the quills of the feathers are iust beginning to 

 develop, because, having then no idea of their natural song, they will 

 retain more perfectly and distinctly the airs which may be taught them. 



Diseases. — An obstruction in the rump gland is their most common 

 disorder, and must be treated in tl)e manner described in the Introduction. 

 It would doubtless be prevented by never omitting to furnish the means of 

 bathing. With care, and a proper variety of food, this bird will five in 

 confinement ten or twelve years. 



Method of Catching. — Timid and distrustful, the blackbird seldom 

 enters the area or barn-floor trap, but it is easily caught in tlie winter 

 with a noose or springe, by using service berries for a bait. It sometimes 

 falls into the large traps set for tits, when the berries are spread over the 

 bottom ; limed twigs put with the berries in a place cleared from the 

 snow, will catch many also ; it also goes to the water-trap, but generally at 

 night-fall. Its call is " tsizirr, tak, tak." 



Attractive Qualities. — The natural song of the blackbird is not 

 destitute of melody ; but it is broken by noisy tones, and is agreeable 

 only in the open country. When wild it sings only from March to July ; 

 but when caged, during the whole year, except when moulting. Its voice 

 is so strong and clear, that in a city it may be heard from one end of a 

 long street to the other. Its memory is so good, that it retains, without 

 mixing them, several airs at once, and it will even repeat little sentences. 

 It is a great favourite with the lovers of a plaintive, clear, and musical 

 song, and may, in these respects, be preferred to the bullfinch, whose 

 voice is softer, more flute-like, but also more melancholy. The price of 

 these two birds, if well taught, is about the same. 



THE RING BLACKBIRD. 



Turdus torquatus, Linn^us ; Merle a Plastron blanc. Buffon ; Die Ringdrossel, 

 Bechsikin. 



This bird is larger than the common blackbird, being in 

 length ten inches and a half, four of which belong to the tail. 



