List of Birds Examined. 



BLACKBIRD. 



T urdus merula, Linn. 



The enormous increase of recent years in the number of 

 blackbirds has seriously affected fruit-growers and others. Smith 

 (105) writing in 1906, stated that in Kent: (< Blackbirds have 

 increased enormously of late years. Before gun licenses came into 

 force they were kept down very much by people going round the 

 roads and shooting them in winter. Large numbers were killed in 

 this way, but I think no one wishes to see every village lad running 

 about with a gun, to the danger of himself and the public. Of late 

 years, we have had very mild winters, and that has allowed them to 

 increase very much ; also a much larger acreage of land is strictly 

 preserved for game now, and that allows the birds to breed in 

 safety. The blackbirds begin to eat fruit as soon as it colours, and 

 spare no variety, beginning with early strawberries and going on 

 to gooseberries, currants, raspberries, cherries, plums, damsons, 

 apples, pears, and figs. The damage they do is very considerable, 

 as they spoil as much as they eat, or even more. I have for the 

 last seven or eight years trapped over 1,000 blackbirds and 

 thrushes yearly. This year, from the quantity left to breed, I shall 

 have to destroy at least 2,000 to keep them at all within bounds 

 that is on about 200 acres of fruit/' 



Post-mortem Records. 



