MEKULID.E. 69 



might well be allowed a small amount of fruit 

 without grudging, the greater part being easily 

 guarded from his depredation. Moreover, the whole 

 of the fruit eaten by the Blackbird is not such as 

 comes under the protection of the gardener ; for ivy, 

 laurel and blackberries, and many other wild berries 

 are considered by hirn equally good eating with the 

 best productions of the garden. In the stomachs of 

 several that I have examined the fruit and the insect 

 portion of the food have been pretty equally divided. 

 In the stomach of one shot in the garden, however, 

 I found as many as six small black beetles and only 

 two gooseberries ; and in that of another two wasps, 

 nearly whole, and two or three common house-flies. 

 During this dry summer of 1868 both Blackbirds 

 and Thrushes have been most busily employed in 

 devouring snails. 



The Blackbird is much too well known to need 

 any other description than that given of him by 

 Bottom 



" The ouzel cock so black of hue, 

 With orange-tawny bill." 



The hen differs considerably, and as our friend 

 Bottom does not mention her, I may give the fol- 

 lowing description : The bill is dark horn-colour ; 

 all the upper parts dark olive-brown; the throat 

 reddish brown, streaked with dusky ; all the rest of 



