NATURAL HISTORY. . 305 
BLACKBIRD. 
Ts IS bird, which is the herald that ufhers in the 
welcome fpring, feems, by its melody, to awaken the 
f the feathered création from their. lethargy, 
them to the pleafures of the approaching 
Tigy generally’ breed about theilatter end’ 
of March, or beginning of April, laying four or five 
eggs, which are of a blueifh green colour, and irreg~- 
ularly marked with dufky. fpots. ‘Their nefts are 
conftructed, in a very ingenious manner, with mofs, 
twigs and fibres of ‘roots ftrongly ceniented ; the in- 
fides being plaiftered with clay, and covered with 
hair, and other foft materials: They ufually build 
in hedges, near the greund, and betore the foliage - 
expands, which, added to the magnitude of the neff, 
rendersit eafy tobe difcovered. = rae 


The plumage of the male, when at full age, which | 
isa year, is of a’fine deep black, while the bill, as 
well as the edges of the eyelids, are ofa beautiful 
brighf yellow ; but before they attain this age, the 
‘bill is dufky, and the plumage of a rufty black, 
’ They continue finging till the moulting feafon — 
draws near, when they naturally defift; they will, 
however, when they have done moulting, ,refume 
‘their note fora fhort time previous to the winter. 
“HENNE 
ae STARLING. 
HE ftare, or ftarling, may be diftinguifhed from 
the reft of the fparrow tribe, by the variegation of 
its feathers, which in fome lights thow a glofly green, 
& 
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