. British birds with their nests and eggs. Birds; Birds. British Birds, with their Nests and and I then supposed it to be an old hen Blackbird; but, after a good wash, its true colouring came out clearly; the whole upper parts being deep smoky brown, the chin and throat white streaked with dull black; the breast, in certain lights, showing traces of the true Song-Thrush spotting ; the bill deep orange with the basal half of the culmen black; feet yellowish horn-brown. This bird, of which Mr. Frohawk made a careful sketch, became very tame in a few weeks and I should certainty have kept
. British birds with their nests and eggs. Birds; Birds. British Birds, with their Nests and and I then supposed it to be an old hen Blackbird; but, after a good wash, its true colouring came out clearly; the whole upper parts being deep smoky brown, the chin and throat white streaked with dull black; the breast, in certain lights, showing traces of the true Song-Thrush spotting ; the bill deep orange with the basal half of the culmen black; feet yellowish horn-brown. This bird, of which Mr. Frohawk made a careful sketch, became very tame in a few weeks and I should certainty have kept it up to the present time, had not a friend, who had given much attention to British cage-birds, visited me and asked me M^h}' I was keeping a hen Blackbird. I pointed out the orange bill, the extent of A\'hite on the throat, the heavy black streaking and ill- defined breast spots, and he admitted that he had never seen a similar hen Blackbird. Unfortunatel}' I wanted the cage, in which I had kept this supposed h3'brid, for vay Mocking-bird (which I found too tyrannical for an aviary) therefore I gave the Thrush its liberty: but, on the following daj', one of my neighbours was walking round tny garden, when a bird in the adjoining plot began to sing a most marvellous song, which my neighbour characterized as neither like that of Blackbird or Song Thrush, but a combination of both. I have no doubt, as I told him, that my recently liberated bird was the singer. The song of the Blackbird is quite unlike that of an}- other British Thrush, clear, mellow and melodious, it is one of the finest productions of our feathered choir: it however varies wonderfulty in merit in different individuals, and no two Blackbirds sing precisely alike. The finest singers are rareh- heard, their per- formance is continuous, flowing, ever changing, somewhat reminding one of the Blackcap's song; most Blackbirds, however, sing set phrases, more or less plaintive but always vigorous in character. Frequentl
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Photo credit: © The Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1896
