38 
SIR PETER EADE ON “ MY CITY GARDEN. 
and, as a matter of course, the bird was instantly pounced upon. 
She escaped, however, almost by a miracle, hut she left nearly the 
whole of her feathers behind her, and almost in a state of nudity. 
It is curious to observe how the Blackbirds and 1 brushes will 
not only provide worm-food for their nestlings, but how they will 
prepare these worms and make them fit for swallowing down the 
young throats. They will often, when they have tugged a worm 
out of the grass, proceed to peck it into small and suitable lengths, 
and will then carry these, arranged in their mouths in suitable 
bundles, to the nest. 
Blackbirds appear not to gain knowledge by experience, at least 
in some particulars. I witness almost every year a repetition of 
what I may term “the tragedy of the Blackbirds.” Evidently the 
same old birds will yearly build a nest in almost the same portion 
of the ivy on one of the walls, and not more than six or seven feet 
from the ground. Well, this is all right as long as the old birds 
are merely sitting and make no noise, so as to attract feline 
attention. But as soon as the young birds are hatched, and begin 
to make vocal demonstrations, of course they fall victims to their 
natural enemies and “bird-fanciers,” and the nests and their 
occupants are ruthlessly dragged out from their positions and 
destroyed. This occurs year after year. I believe that then the 
birds will sometimes build again elsewhere. But they certainly 
return to almost the same locality in the following spring, and 
their offspring again become victims of the inappropriateness of 
their selected homes. 
I lenty of other birds also come to the garden at various times 
and seasons, and add to its life and interest, Robins , Bluetits, 
Nuthatches, Redwings, Missel-thrushes, and others, hut of their 
behaviour in the winter season, and when habitually fed, I have 
already discoursed to this Society, so will not further trouble you 
now with their noticeable peculiarities. 
Reptiles. Perhaps it would scarcely be expected that the 
Reptile race would provide much of interest for a city garden. 
\et it may be truly said that this class of creatures has done 
almost more than any other to provide my garden with material 
for this. 
• r ^ S know from my previous communications to 
its ‘ Transactions,’ I have long kept two Tortoises, and year by 
