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í 
the evening he sings as loud and full as in the morning; and you may note that his melody is 
particularly charming during a passing shower or thunder-storm, even in the middle of the day. 
Although the Blackbird warbles his delightful strains at all hours of the day, still it is in the 
morning and evening that the lover of nature can pause and listen to the bird's wild strains in 
fullest enjoyment; for he seems to strive his best to herald the approaching day and sing its 
requiem in his choicest tones. The Blackbird's alarm-notes have been previously noticed, and 
resemble most closely those of the Ring-Ouzel. Тһе call-note of the male bird in the breeding- 
season resembles the call-note of the Robin—a kind of wild piping cry, indescribably plaintive and 
beautiful. The female bird is not nearly so noisy as her mate. She is perhaps still more skulking 
in her habits, and in the breeding-season especially is rarely heard to utter a sound. 
“ Blackbirds are extremely pugnacious creatures during the mating-season. A little before the 
period of the vernal equinox it is no uncommon thing to see the male Blackbirds fighting with perfect 
fury, and chasing each other rapidly through the branches until one comes off victorious and the 
other slinks silently away. Most birds in the mating-season are more or less pugnacious, although 
peaceable enough at other times; but the Blackbird may be often seen displaying animosity towards 
its own species at all seasons of the year. The Blackbird pairs early іп the season ; but its nest is 
not found so early as that of the Song-Thrush or the Storm-cock. 
"Its chief breeding-haunts are the woods, the shrubberies, pleasure-grounds, gardens, and 
hedgerows of the highly cultivated districts. Тһе site for the nest is a varied one, embracing at 
times very singular situations. Preference, however, is given to evergreens. Its nest is placed far 
up the ivy-covered branches of the tallest trees, or amongst the ground-ivy, in the gloomy yew-trees, 
snugly buried under the broad-leaved laurels, hid from view in the holly's impenetrable and glossy 
foliage, and, more rarely, in the dark and frowning branches of the cedars and the pines. А 
favourite situation for a Blackbird's nest is amongst the ivy growing on walls, especially where a 
few stray brambles hang over to support it, the materials of the nest being artfully interwoven with 
them. It is also found pretty frequently on the ground in the banks of wooded ravines, amongst 
fern and hyacinths, and also in hedges. In all these varied situations, however, the materials of 
the nest are the same; and often little or no attempt is made to conceal it. Curious sites, indeed, 
are sometimes chosen. Тһе Blackbird has been known to make its nest on a stone projecting from 
a wall, with no other support whatever; in another instance under the eaves of a shed ; whilst a 
third was placed amongst the roots of a large tree, far under a bank, in just such a situation as a 
Wren would select for a nesting-site. The nest passes through three stages before it is completed. 
It is composed, first, of coarse grasses, amongst which a few twigs are sometimes woven, a little 
moss, and dry leaves. This somewhat loosely built structure is lined with mud or clay, when it is 
a difficult matter to distinguish it from an unfinished nest of the Song-Thrush. This mud-formed 
cavity is finally lined. very thickly with finer grasses, admirably arranged, and forming a smooth 
bed for the eggs. When completed and dry, the nest of the Blackbird is very firm and compact —a 
proof of which may be seen in the number of their nests which remain intact through the storms 
of winter, forming refuges and larders for the field-mice. In form the Blackbird's nest is somewhat 
shallow, and is usually a large, bulky structure. The eggs of the Blackbird are from four to six in 
number, although this is in some few cases exceeded, for nests have been known to contain eight 
eggs. They differ considerably in size, form, and colour: some specimens are exceptionally large, 
others small; some are quite pear-shaped, others almost round. Тһе usual colour is a bright 
bluish green, spotted, streaked, clouded, and blotched with rich reddish brown and various tints of 
purple. Some specimens have most of the spots and streaks round the large end of the egg ina 
zone or band; others are finely blotched; whilst some specimens are so highly marked as to hide 
all trace of the ground-colour. Varieties of the Blackbird's eggs are occasionally met with very 
