47 



THE BLACKBIRD. 



Few birds are better known, or more 

 widely dispersed through Great Britain, 

 than the blackbird, which though of a shy 

 and solitary disposition, is generally found 

 in the vicinity of our residences, frequenting 

 hedge-rows, orchards, and the outskirts of 

 gardens, where it feeds on worms, insects, 

 fruit, seeds, berries, and snails, breaking the 

 shells of the latter against a stone to get 

 at the contents, for which purpose it has 

 usually some favorite spot. 



The plumage of the male is of a jet 

 blackj with the bill, and circle round the 

 eye, yellow ; the female, which is a trifling 

 degree larger, is of a dusky brown colour, 

 with the bill, legs, and feet also of a dusky 

 hue. During the first year, the plumage of 

 the young cocks is so exactly like that of the 

 hen, that it is difficult to distinguish the 

 male from the female ; those birds, however, 



