BLACKBIRD, the English name for the well-known native songster, Merula rub anis of Ray, Turdus Merula of Linn:cue, the Schwarz. Drossel and Schwarze-Amsel of the Germans, Merle of the French, Merle and Merle) of the Italians, and K4rrv(pos or KOcrotspos of the ancient Greeks.
The Blackbird is too well known to require a description, but a word or two ou the subject of its habits may not be misplaced. There are not wanting those who praise the Song-thrush at the expense of the blackbird, alleging that, though the former commits depredation in our fruit-gardens in summer, it makes amends by its destruction of the shell-snails (Helix asperses and 11. nonorali.1); whereas the blackbird is a most notorious fruit-eater, without any such redeeming quality. That the thrush does this service in most true, but it is not less true that the blackbird is particularly fond of the shell-snails, which it devours in the same way as the thrush. In truth, small slugs and shell-snails, to use the expression of a garden labourer, form "the chief of its living," while the thrush is equally fond of fruit in the season ; but tho plumage of the thrush is in its favour, and it is often peeking away at the fruit without being seen. When disturbed it glides away without noise; hut the blackbird's sharp cry of alarm as it escapes generally strikes the ear, if Be black coat and yellow bill have not arrested the eye. Thus much in justice to the blackbirds, for we know of instances where a war of extermination has been waged against them while the thrushes have been held sacred.
Early in the spring tho Blackbird begins to build its nest A thick-set hedge-row, an insulated close bush, a low ivied tree, are all favourite places. Moss, small sticks, root-fibres, are the materials, with an internal coat of mud-plaster, over which is a lining of flue dry grass. Four or five eggs of a bluish-green, variegated with darker markings, are hero deposited. Aristotle (book v. c. 13) observes that it lays twice, and Buffon says that the first deposit ranges from five to six eggs, but the second only from four to five. The early season at which it begins to lay is often so cold as to destroy the first brood ; moreover, the leafless state of the hedge or bush at that period makes the nest an easy prey to the school-boy.
The Blackbird is in general shy, but there are exceptions to the remark, as is proved by the following statement In the spring of 1334 a pair of blackbirds built their nest in a faggot-pile close to the door of a kitchen-garden in the parish of Sunbury, Middlesex, where the garden-labourers were passing all day long wheeling manure into the garden, &c. The nest was built among
some dead thorns, there piled up, so low that the passer-by could look into it, and was very much exposed ; but the parents, notwithstanding the curiosity of spectators, brought up their nestlings. This was a late brood; and as many early nests had been taken in the neigh bouring hedge-rows, it is not impossible that the birds, disappointed of their first brood, might have been driven to choose a spot nearer the house for security.
Albinos sometimes occur among these birds. Several instances are recorded : the following is from Loudon's Magazine' (No.43, p. 596) : " In 1829 a blackbird's nest, containing four or five your ones, was found at Roughen), near Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. One of the young ones differed in colour materially from the rest. Its eyes were red, its bill was yellow (which is not usual in very young blackbirds). The neat was not taken till the young were fully fledged. On attempt ing to capture them, two or three made their escape ; the white one was safely caught. The red-eyed bird afterwards became nearly or wholly white, and it still retains this colour?' In the British Museum there is a female of a dusky white or cream-colour with Yorkshire for its locality. Other instances are recorded.
Bechsteiu, in his work on Cage-Birds, says, " The white variety is very well known ; there is besides the streaked, the black with a white head, and the pearl-gray." The same author gives the following account of the musical properties of the Blackbird in confinement : " Its voice is so strong and clear that in a city it may be beard from one end of a long street to the other. Its memory is so good that it retains without mixing them several airs at once, and it will even repeat little sentences. It is a great favourite with the lovers of a plaintive, clear, and musical song, and may is these respects be pre ferred to the bullfinch, whose voice is softer, more flute-like, but also more melancholy. The price of these two birds, if well taught, is about the same." Turd us torquatus is called the Ring-Blaekbird. [Manus.]