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 perseverance in destroying 

 grubs, caterpillars, &c., for at least nine months of 

 the year, does not amply repay the miscliief done 

 by them in eating cherries and seeds during the re- 

 maining three. It is difficult, however, to persuade 

 the farmer to look on rooks and wood-pigeons as his 

 friends, when he sees them in flocks on the nearly 

 ripe wheat-field, on the produce of which he mainly 

 depends for paying his rent. Nevertheless, were he 



