BRITISH SONG-BIRDS. 49 



nion, and may arise from difference of taste and 

 feeling ; but we do certainly differ very much from 

 that gentleman mth respect to the merits of 

 singing birds. — See Introduction. Thrushes may 

 be taught to whistle tunes, and even to articulate 

 words; but we are no great admirers of these forced 

 conceits, for we prefer the natm'al ^vild notes of 

 the little denizens of the woods and fields, to all 

 these artificial acquirements. 



The Nest. 



The nest is composed of twigs, bent, moss, and 

 grass ; the inside neatly plastered with clay, and 

 so compact, that, in rainy seasons, the eggs have 

 sometimes been destroyed. The female lays four 

 or five, rarely six eggs, of a very pale verditer 

 blue, inclining to verdigi'is green, marked, par- 

 ticularly at the large end, with blackish-brown 

 spots, some of the spots inclining to ink black. 



To Find the Nest, 



I. 



f This bird displays little ingenuity in concealing 

 its nest ; it is, therefore, easily found, and thus be- 

 comes an easy prey to boys, cats, weasels, &c, ; 

 c 



