126 
NATURE NOTES. 
spirits, and we found to our delight that he had a nest, and had 
got out at least one young one. Then it was that his song 
broke out, strong and full from his blackbird heart, with the 
old cadenza of joyous mirth, but not so often as we could have 
wished. Now again, in the glare of June sunshine, we are often 
aware of the silent, coal-black bird sitting on the lawn, awaiting 
a piece of soft cake or bread. 
When he was crippled in the winter, the blackbird from the 
back eagerly watched his chance of gaining a footing, he would 
even imitate the pose of our invalid, to secure a portion of his 
good food ; we named him the Usurper, and feared he would 
drive the poor invalid off the scenes. Fate, however, was too 
strong, and for once befriended the weaker side ; the usurper 
fell a prey to the cruel ravages of a sparrow-hawk. It was on 
an evening early in May, in the midst of spring flowers and 
bird-joy; suddenl}^ there was a screaming and a panic, and two 
birds swept past from a bush, apparently falling down together 
into the high-banked trout stream in the meadow. I ran to 
see what was happening, not realizing at the moment, so instan- 
taneous was the flight, that it was a hawk. On reaching the 
stream up rose the sparrow-hawk with a fine blackbird fixed 
in his talons, so near to me that had I had a stick I could have 
hit him. It was a sorry sight, and we feared for our invalid, 
but next morning he presented himself for breakfast. But never 
again has the usurper been seen, and we realise the awful fate 
that befell our second sweet singer. 
Now that our invalid no longer disputes entire possession 
of the lawn, a younger bird, a son we believe of his, has built 
in an ivied wall near the house, and, after the manner of birds, 
pays scant respect to his parent. His song is not yet so fine, 
nor his plumage so glossy and black ; what of that ? he is the 
younger and stronger. He has looked after his young ones 
with commendable zeal, running backwards and forwards in 
the hot sun, with soft crumbs when worms were a scarce luxury, 
and in due course bringing his young ones to us to see, with the 
tameness of the chaffinch. As one after the other learned the 
art of swallowing, he would leave them to us, and running back 
with an agility, envied, I am sure, by our invalid, would supply 
the next youngest from a beak loaded with provision. He has 
a long name, but descriptive — “ The Energetic Father of a 
Family” is his title. The young ones still come to us for 
supplementary food; should an ill-mannered sparrow try to 
seize the food from their bills, they let me send off the sparrow 
and remain near me to eat their portion in security. It is an 
opportunity for noting the colouring of the young blackbirds ; 
the head, breast, and part of the back and wings, being of a 
golden brown, almost pheasant - like colour, the first black 
feathers appearing in the tail and wings, and as yet no orange 
bill, or rims round the eyes. Feathers evidently blacken with 
years, or rather with each successive moult. 
