NATURE'S CAROL SINGERS. 



THE BLACKBIRD. 



Who does not know 

 and love the Black- 

 bird with his sable coat, 

 orange bill, and pe- 

 / _<,i- -^8L culiar habit of 

 '■^HJ^'' r^^^^W^ erecting his tail when 

 • ^*^ ^ ^ he ahghts ? In the 

 North of England the 

 bird still enjoys its old 

 name of Ouzel, and in 

 Scotland it is called a 

 Merle. 



The hen differs 

 somewhat in her ap- 

 pearance from the cock 

 a dark, rusty-brown colour 

 so black of hue," as Shake- 

 speare has it of her mate. 



This species is common in gardens, 

 orchards, shrubberies, hedgerows, and 

 woods all over the British Islands. I 

 have even met with it breeding in a little 



in being of 

 instead of 



garden close to 



the 

 26 



Atlantic in the 



