THE BLACKBIRD 195 



SO to say the wag of the world of birds. It has something- 

 of the animation and the crack spirits of a clown or a low 

 actor, and like these merry-makers it needs a gallery to 

 listen to it and to applaud it. It is very fond of society, 

 hut prefers to the companionship of its brethren, that of 

 smaller birds of different species. Often, towards evening, 

 1 have observed the manoeuvres of blackbirds on the 

 large lawns of the Luxembourg. Each one would skip 

 lightly over the grass , escorted by four five familiar 

 sparrows, that seemed to be very proud of being admitted 

 into the intimacy of the fine blackbird with its hand- 

 some black dress. The latter, meanwhile, would skip to 

 and fro, with a mien of self importance and condescen- 

 sion; it seemed to take great pleasure in astonishing 

 the « small fry » which it consented to admit into its 

 company. It appeared to me like one of those witty wags 

 who are at the same time vain, noisy and vulgar, who 

 disdain their equals and only find themselves at ease in 

 the company of persons they can dazzle and over whom 

 they can lord it easily. 



The blackbird is fond of showing himself in public; 

 he likes to have all the talk to himself, and makes him- 

 self everywhere at home very unceremoniously. I remem- 

 ber having witnessed one morning in autumn a most 

 amusing scene, in which a blackl)ird played (lie cliief part. 

 On the outskirts of a vineyard, a l)lackbii(l, (hunk with 

 grape juice, was parading near me, accompanied by half a 



