162 THE OPEN BOOK OF NATURE 
is expressed from the fruits, and used to flavour 
aniseed balls, of which children seem to be very 
fond. 
Why, there is a Thrush (T'urdus musicus) sitting 
on her nest in the hedge. She has evidently been 
“sitting tight’? all the time we have been here. 
I have noticed that both Blackbirds and Thrushes 
are not easily frightened away from their eggs. 
I should like to photograph the old lady just as she 
sits. Ah, she has flown. She does not care to be 
photographed. Four blue eggs, spotted with small 
black spots at the larger ends. If we cannot take 
a photo of the bird, we can at least take the eggs 
and nest. We must try to get it just as it is, without 
disturbing it in any way. You will hardly need 
me to point out the difference between the nests 
of the Blackbird and Thrush. That of the Thrush 
is lined inside with a kind of stucco which the bird 
makes out of decayed wood ; whereas a Blackbird’s 
nest has a layer of mud lined with dry grasses, and 
sometimes fibrous roots, with a little moss. At first 
sight a Thrush’s nest appears to be lined with mud, 
and as the Blackbird’s has always a lining of fibrous 
stuff, there is no difficulty in knowing which is 
which. 
I have often seen reports about the mating of 
Blackbirds and Thrushes. I am sure, however, 
the two kinds of birds do not mate. The reports 
generally come from persons who do not realize 
that a female Blackbird has a dark spotted breast, 
and often looks like a very dark Thrush. In fact, 
the female Blackbird is often mistaken for a Thrush 
by casual observers, and it is they who issue the 
