94 OBSERVATIONS ON BIRDS. 



ments of song in the spring of the year ? At the 

 same time, it is not meant that none of the individuals 

 which are heard singing in the autumn may not be 

 old birds. 



In the height of the spring, the thrush may be 

 heard throughout the day without intermission ; but 

 as the season advances towards midsummer, and after 

 the solstice, especially if the weather be hot, its song 

 is principally confined to the morning and evening. 

 It is then one of the earliest and latest of songsters, 

 commencing in the morning almost before it is light, 

 and not desisting in the evening till long after 

 sunset. During the first week in July, I have heard 

 it in the evening as late as twenty minutes past 

 nine. 



The blackbird appears to be partial to damp wea- 

 ther, and, when near the time of ceasing, a continu- 

 ance of rainy days, if not very cold, will often induce 

 it to prolong its song beyond the usual period. 

 During the fine and very dry weather which pre- 

 vailed over a great part of June, 1844, the blackbirds 

 hardly sung at all ; but when the rain came, in the 

 last week of that month, they resumed, and conti- 

 nued to be heard till after the middle of the month 

 following. July was even hotter than June, but then 

 there was much more wet : this it was which seemed 

 to make the difference. I also once noticed, quite 

 late in the summer, and when no blackbirds had 

 been heard for some time previous, that one evening, 

 after the occurrence of a violent thunder-storm, seve- 

 ral were heard singing, but for that evening only. 



