4 q THE NATURAL HISTORY 
The beak is not cmarginated or notched, the female || 
dufky rather than black. 
The Blackbird does not, in many inftances at 
leaf!, migrate from one country to another, but 
in winter conceals itfeit in hedges, and thickets, 
in very thick woods near fprings, that do not 
freeze ; efpecially where there are evergreens, that 
it may be the lei's e/poled, and where perhaps itj 
can befl fupport itfelf with food during that ti- 
gorous feafon. 
Blackbirds fometimes vifitour gardens in fum- 
nier, and are great devourers of fruit. In a wild 
ftate they live on almoft all kinds of berries, fruit, 
and infers: when confined they are fed in part 
with meat, boiled, and minced ; they will eat 
bread and butter, and are oftentimes kept on a 
kind of pafte, which may be preferved for a long' 
time without fpoiling. 
The kernels of the pomegranate are poifqnousj 
both to them, and to 1 hrufhes. 
T hey are very delicate food, and in thofe coun¬ 
tries where they feed on olives, and myrtle ber¬ 
ries, their flefh acquires ajuicinefs, and a per¬ 
fume, which is very agreeable. 
They are persecuted both by men, and birds of 
prey, which prevents their increafing very fafi; 
this 
