Blue Thrushes 53 



tyrant than an old male " passera " who has been kept 

 by himself and made a pet of, for he will attack 

 anything that comes within his reach. 



When my old friend, whose babyhood at Cade- 

 nabbia over nine years ago I have recounted, is let 

 out for a fly in my room, he will make repeated 

 onslaughts upon the butler when he enters, and I 

 have seen the latter unable to advance beyond the 

 door, because the blue thrush, like a flash, is down at 

 his feet, violently attacking each boot as it is moved. 



Failing this, he goes for his face, which is pleasant 

 for the butler ; it helps him to keep up his dignity, 

 you know ! When in his youth (the passera's, not 

 the butler's !) I gave him mealworms, I often said 

 " Pretty boy " in conversing with him for I do 

 converse a good deal with my birds and this little 

 term of address the bird picked up, suddenly to my 

 astonishment saying it quite distinctly, so much so 

 that strangers never fail to notice it at once, and on 

 their part to express their astonishment. He intro- 

 duces it into his song, generally at the end of a stanza 

 largely composed of artificial whistlings. His own 

 natural song has a separate place in his repertoire, 

 being uttered more generally when he is alone, and 

 in the spring-time and early summer, rather than in 

 the other months of the year ; but his artificial song 

 comes in at all seasons, whether he is moulting or not. 



With birds that have a real affection for any one 

 to whom they belong, there is no doubt that yearnings 

 for what people call their freedom are not existent. 



It is often said, " I don't keep birds, for I think 



