588 
ir. 
DO THE BLACKBIED AND THE THRUSH EVER 
INTERBREED ? 
By Robert Miller Christy. 
(Communicated by Mr. J. H. Gurney, Jun.). 
Read 2yth November, 1883. 
Both Addison and Goldsmith seem to have ^ 
that the trite old saying, “Birds ot a feather flock togot , 
apnlied also invariably to their breeding. The former, more than 
a Ltury and a halt ago, rvrote, in the ‘Spectator, some elegant 
Latin lines upon the subject; and, later. Goldsmith Pioduced a 
short poem, which seems to bo merely an expression of Addisons 
sentiment in tlie Englisli language. He says . 
,( * * * The patriot bird pursues 
Ilis well-acquainted tints and kindred hues ; 
Hence, through their tribes, no mixed, polluted flame. 
No monster breed, to mark the groves with shame ; 
But, the chaste Blackbird, to his partner true, 
Thinks black alone is Beauty’s favourite hue. 
Experience has, however, compelled me to call m question a 
little the correctness of the opinion ot these poetic gentlemen, 
that one bird is invariably true to its own species; tor it is now 
some years since my attention was 
is evidence which proves that the Blackbird and the Thin 
two species which rather closely resemble one another m then 
size, habits, and manner ot nesting-do occasionally pair and nest 
‘“lincTthat time, I have always been careful to note down any 
such occurrences as have come under my own observation,^ 01 that 
I have seen recorded in any ornitliological work; and, 
to draw attention to the subject, I have now put togetboi all 
information so obtained for the purpose of sifting it. 
