THE BLACKBIED. 
that she fell to the ground, followed by the blackbird, who suc- 
ceeded in driving her away. A second time the scene occurred ; 
the blackbird was again victorious, and the cat became so intimi- 
dated atthe attack made upon her that she gave over her attempts 
to get at the young ones. After each battle, the blackbird cele- 
brated his victory with a song, and for several days afterwards 
he would hunt the cat about the garden whenever she left the 
house. I also knew,” continues the same authority, “ an 
instance of a pair of blackbirds following a boy into a house, 
and pecking at his head, while he was carrying off one of 
their young.” Ho more conclusive evidence could be adduced 
to prove the courage of the blackbird, and its indomitable love 
for its young : nor does it rest on the evidence of a single wit- 
ness ; the above-quoted anecdote is corroborated by an equally 
respectable authority — the Rev. Mr. Wood. Mr. Thompson,, 
also, in his “ Natural History of Ireland,” relates a singular 
anecdote of the blackbird’s attachment to its offspring. It 
affords one of a myriad of illustrations proving how fine- 
must be the thread that divides instinct from reason. The- 
bird in question was remarkable for the precision and dex- 
terity with which it imitated the crowing of a bantam cock. 
“ A man, wishing to have some of his breed, robbed the 
nest, which contained four young; two he left, and the other 
two he put into a large cage, and removed them to his house. 
The old cock came constantly with food for the young in 
the cage, going into it and feeding them. The man, watch- 
ing for such an opportunity, made a run at the cage and 
secured him ; but, when carrying it into the house, the bird 
made his escape through a hole in the wires. It was supposed 
he would not come back; he, however, returned to feed the 
young as usual, but, instead of going into the cage, he went to. 
the outside, and put the worm through the wires. It may' 
have been instinct that prompted him to find food for his young, 
though removed to a distance, and in an unusual place ; but, 
when he found there was danger in feeding them in the old; 
way, it certainly showed calculation to find out a way of doing 
it equally well without running risk. It was also very curious; 
to see him going to feed the young when any person was 
watching ; the cage was in a potato garden, and he would fly 
to the low end of the garden and creep up the furrows, so that 
it was impossible to see him, until he had finished his duty, 
when he flew off with great noise. The hen never appeared, 
and it was supposed she had been killed ” 
