58 THE BIRDS OF SHERWOOD FOREST. 



The eggs of the thrush are sometimes found of a 

 uniform blue, without mark or spot. I have frequently 

 taken one of these plain ones in a nest where all the 

 rest were of the usual spotted kind, and on one occasion 

 I found a nest in the Lawn plantation in Thoresby Park 

 containing five eggs, four of which were of this spotless 

 variety, while the fifth had five or six distinct spots of 

 black towards the larger end. 



Albino varieties of the thrush are not uncommon ; 

 one, two, and even three white ones have been taken 

 out of the nest where the plumage of all the rest had 

 the usual markings, and one instance is related by the 

 Rev. F. Morris of a nest being found by Dr. Moses of 

 Appleby, where all the five birds were albinos, with 

 scarlet eyes. 



The idea has occurred to me, although I have had no 

 opportunity of attempting its verification by experiment, 

 whether these white varieties may not be the produce 

 of the plain blue eggs. At the same time I am bound 

 to say that, though 1 have repeatedly taken eggs with- 

 out a spot, I have never met with more than one bird 

 whose plumage differed from the usual markings. This 

 was not pure white, but had a large number of white 

 feathers mingled irregularly amongst the brown ones, 

 chiefly in the back and wings. 



The Blackbird (T. merula) is as abundant a species 

 as the thrush. The rich black plumage of the adult 

 male, so compact and glossy, relieved by the deep orange 

 of the bill and eyelids, makes it an attractive and 

 favourite bird, its bright eye harmonizing with the 

 vivacity of its movements. It is a very wary bird, and 

 when disturbed in gardens (which are much resorted to) 

 it is unwilling to take wing as long as there is any 



