202 BLACKBIRD. 



were in an unusual state of excitement and terror a prowling 

 weasel having made its appearance; and while the danger 

 threatened, the young birds, on the parents announcing it, 

 cowered down in the nest, and appeared to be in great 

 uneasiness. 



With regard to the song of the Blackbird, it has long 

 been my opinion that he is neither more nor less than a 

 mocking-bird, and that all his best notes are borrowed from 

 those of the Thrush, to which, as is the case with most 

 imitations of an original, they are much inferior; they are 

 more remarkable for power, and in some degree for tone, 

 than for compass or variety. One curious instance is on 

 record of its having been heard, even in the wild state, 

 crowing like a Cock, occasionally indulging for a moment 

 or two in its natural song; another is related to have 

 effected a similar imitation: when the Cocks in the neigh- 

 bouring farm-yard answered his supposed challenge, he seemed 

 delighted, and even flapped his wings when he crowed, and 

 thus went on with the mimic rivalry. Two other similar 

 instances are related by Mr. Thompson, of Belfast, as having 

 occurred in Ireland; one in the shrubbery of Mr. Boxwell, of 

 Lyngestown, in the county of Wexford, and the other at 

 Oakland, Broughshane, in the county of Antrim; the latter 

 was only heard to crow early in the summer. 



The following anecdote of this bird was communicated to 

 Mr. Thompson by Edward Benn, Esq.: 'A man wishing to 

 have some of his breed, robbed the nest, which contained 

 four young; two he left, and the other two he put into a 

 large cage, and removed to his house. The old cock came 

 constantly with food for the young in the cage, going into 

 it and feeding them; the man, watching for such an oppor- 

 tunity, made a run at the cage, and secured him, but when 

 carrying it into the house, the bird made his escape through 

 a hole in the wires. It was supposed he would not come 

 back: he, however, returned to feed the young as usual; but 

 instead of going into the cage, he went to the outside, and 

 put the food through the wires. It may have been instinct 

 that prompted him to find food for his young, though removed 

 to a distance, and in an unusual place; but when he found 

 there was danger in feeding them in the old way, it certainly 

 shewed calculation to find out a way of doing it equally 

 well without running risk. It was also very curious to see 

 him going to feed the young when any person was watching: 



