British Birds, with their Nests and Eggs. 



and I then supposed it to be an old hen Blackbird; but, after a good wash, its 

 true colouring came out clearly; the whole upper parts being deep smoky brown, 

 the chin and throat white streaked with dull black; the breast, in certain lights, 

 showing traces of the true Song- Thrush spotting ; the bill deep orange with the 

 basal half of the culmen black ; feet yellowish horn-brown. 



This bird, of which Mr. Frohawk made 

 a careful sketch, became very tame in a few 

 weeks and I should certainty have kept it 

 up to the present time, had not a friend, 

 who had given much attention to British 

 cage-birds, visited me and asked me M^h}' I 

 was keeping a hen Blackbird. I pointed out 

 the orange bill, the extent of A\'hite on the 

 throat, the heavy black streaking and ill- 

 defined breast spots, and he admitted that 

 he had never seen a similar hen Blackbird. 

 Unfortunatel}' I wanted the cage, in which 

 I had kept this supposed h3'brid, for vay 

 Mocking-bird (which I found too tyrannical for an aviary) therefore I gave 

 the Thrush its liberty: but, on the following daj', one of my neighbours was 

 walking round tny garden, when a bird in the adjoining plot began to sing a 

 most marvellous song, which my neighbour characterized as neither like that of 

 Blackbird or Song Thrush, but a combination of both. I have no doubt, as I 

 told him, that my recently liberated bird was the singer. 



The song of the Blackbird is quite unlike that of an}- other British Thrush, 

 clear, mellow and melodious, it is one of the finest productions of our feathered 

 choir: it however varies wonderfulty in merit in different individuals, and no two 

 Blackbirds sing precisely alike. The finest singers are rareh- heard, their per- 

 formance is continuous, flowing, ever changing, somewhat reminding one of the 

 Blackcap's song; most Blackbirds, however, sing set phrases, more or less 

 plaintive but always vigorous in character. 



Frequently, in the middle of its song, a Blackbird stops abruptly and 

 ridicules its own performances, singing over the last phrase in a minor key and 

 following it up with derisive caricatures ending in meaningless squeaks: some- 

 times it pauses abruptl}- and (perhaps for five or ten minutes) repeats, at 

 intervals its dismal ear-splitting call note — a shrill reedy fsai; or it will break off 

 into its nois}^ go-to-roost rattle — " Chink, c/iiuk, chink, chink, chink; chacka, chack- 

 n-rack, chack, chack, chack, chack ; chuck, chuck, chuck." Passing through shrubberies 



