589 
I. A nest, built in a Laurel bush, in the garden of a relative 
at Great Saling, Essex, was reported to me in the first M'eek of 
April, 1877, by the finder, who assured me that, of the six eggs 
the nest contained, two were undoubtedly Thrushes’, two Avere 
unmistakably Blackbirds’, and two Avere precisely intermediate 
in their colouring. Tlie bird Avas not noted. I did not see the eggs; 
but, two months later, I Avas shown the nest— a typical Thrush’s. 
II. During May, 187 /, a friend found a nest in private grounds 
neai York. It was almost Avithout mud, and evidently a Blackbird’s; 
but, of the four eggs which it contained, two Avere ceitainly Thrush’s, 
and the^ remaining two Blackbirds’. The eggs I .saw, but not the 
nest. Ihere was no suspicion or probability of any one having 
e.\changed the eggs. 
III. A few Avecks later, and in the same grounds, I found a 
noi mal Blackbird s nest, containing four AA'ell-liedged young Thrushes, 
iho parents, too, AA'cro botli of that species. 
Londons ‘Magazine of Natural History’* the folio Aving 
appears under heading, “Hybrid Birds between the Tlirostlo and 
the Blackbird in a state of Nature “ With respect to the Throstle, 
I recollect a singular instance. In the garden of James Hankin, 
a nurseryman, at Ormskirk in Lancashire, a Throstle and Blackbird 
had paired. This was well known to a number of individuals, 
myself amongst them. During tAvo successive years the birds 
reared their broods, Avhich Averc permitted to fly, and evinced in 
all respects the features of strongly-marked hybrids.— Henry Berry, 
Bootle, near Liverpool, August 27th, 1831.” 
^ . In hcience Gossip,’t “ G. T. B.” says that, in the beginning 
of the preceding April, he found a Blackbird’s nest nearly built. 
Several days later he found it to contain four eggs, Avhich Avere, 
in all respects, true Blackbirds’, except that one possessed the black 
spots of a Thrush’s egg as well as the Blackbird’s markings. On 
one occasion a Thrush was obsorA^ed sitting, when a Blackbird was 
singing close by. Only one young one survived, and that turned 
out a Blackbird, but the old Thrush Avas very solicitous on its 
behaif.t 
+ rn * 'ii-* fi>34, p. 69S. f November, 1877, p. 263. 
+ Tins record Avas reprinted (I suppose for the sake of reference) in 
almost exactly the same words, before another note on the same subject 
(see Case VI.) in ‘ Science Gossip’ for February, 187S, p. 43. 
