70 Birds I Have Ke;pt. 



taught any tune or song; some of these hirds have even 

 learned to speak a few words. 



The natural song of the Blackbird is melodious enough, but 

 too loud for the house, though very pleasing when listened 

 to from a distance in the woods. Though naturally timid 

 and shy, the Blackbird is not difB.oult to tame, and may even 

 be taught to go and come at the word of command, if his 

 tuition in this respect is begun during the winter. 



The nest is strong and well built of tough grass, roots and 

 moss plastered together with mud; the inside is lined with 

 fine hay, hair and wool. I have found it in all kinds of 

 places: in a hole in a wall, among the branches of a pear- 

 tree trained en espalier against the garden wall, in a vine, 

 in a heap of faggots, on the centre beam of a shed, and the 

 horizontal branch of a large oak that overhung a deep ravine, 

 as well as on a bank, and a ledge of rock in a quarry; in 

 a furze bush, and especially in thick clumps of ivy growing 

 against an old wall. 



When wild, the Blackbird lives on insects, snails, worms, 

 fruit and berries, and is perhaps more of a friend than a foe 

 to the gardener. We generally netted our cherry and peach 

 trees, otherwise we should have had no fruit; as to peas, we 

 found the Blackbird as fond of them as the Jays were, which 

 is saying a good deal. 



In the house the Blackbird is to be fed on bread and milk, 

 boiled vegetables, and ripe fruit, not forgetting a few insects 

 or snails when procurable. He drinks a good deal, and should 

 always have a bath provided for his use. Like the Thrush 

 he cracks the shell of the snails upon which he wishes to 

 make a meal against a stone, or the top of a wall; and like 

 the Starling and Eobin Eedbreast, he drives the worms up 

 out of the ground by stamping sharply with his foot close to 

 their burrows. 



Though easily reared, the Blackbird is more delicate than 

 the rest of the family, and wiU frequently die of decline 



