NOV. TOMTITS — THRUSHES — BLACKBIRDS. 43 



abode voluntarily in the drawing-room. It would 

 seem that at first he was attracted by the few house 

 flies who at this season crawl slowly about the win- 

 dows. These he was most active in searching for 

 and catching, inserting his little bill into every 

 corner and crevice, and detecting every fly which 

 had escaped the brush of the housemaid. He soon, 

 however, with increased boldness, came down to 

 pick up crumbs, which the children placed for him 

 close to me on the table. From his activity and 

 perseverance in exterminating flies, this bird 

 appears well worthy of protection. 



The thrushes, and blackbirds too, earn the favour 

 of the gardener by their constant destruction of 

 snails, in search of which, at this season, they are 

 all day busily employed in turning over the dead 

 leaves under the garden walls, and at the bottom 

 of the hedges. My experience convinces me that 

 there are few of the common birds whose persever- 

 ance in destroying grubs, caterpillars, etc., for at 

 least nine months of the year, does not amply repay 

 the mischief done by them in eating cherries and 

 seeds during the remaining three. It is difficult, 

 however, to persuade the farmer to look on rooks 

 and wood-pigeons as his friends, wmen he sees 

 them in flocks on the nearly ripe wheat-field, on 

 the produce of which he mainly depends for paying 



