4 WILD BIRDS 



the saying that out of doors we can be too near 

 it that it is better for the listener if a field 

 lie between himself and the singer. Unlike the 

 thrush, the blackbird at his best seems to have not 

 one shrill, bad note. 



Only be out of doors on a delicate spring day 

 one of the sappy, larch-green days of rain and shine 

 and you cannot be too near the loudest blackbird. 

 And as you cannot be too near blackbirds for the 

 pleasure of the ear, so you cannot be too near for the 

 eye. A blackbird is as good to look at in spring as 

 to listen to. I have often heard him praised for 

 the gloss of his plumage in spring. I confess this 

 is the last thing I should praise a blackbird for. 

 Perfect gloss and the shimmering blues and greens 

 which often go with it are fine features of some 

 birds. One admires them on the rook and the carrion 

 crow, and on many a water bird's breast and back ; 

 the pheasant would not be half so splendid if he 

 did not wear the interference colours, all shot and 

 shimmer. But a cock blackbird in his full spring 

 dress needs no heightening polish. He should look 

 lamp-black. Soot suits him better than shine. 

 Perhaps he looks best of all seen among the bare 

 stems of March. He makes a picture then that 

 may live long in the mind. I have seen a marshy 

 coppice of willow and birch that perhaps Corot 

 might have painted better than anybody ; but set 

 a sudden blackbird in the stems, and it seems as 

 if only the genius of a Whistler could bring out the 

 effect on canvas. The blackbird's spright and live- 



