The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-03-05
CROW BLACKBIRD.

SNOW ILAChBlRD.
This bird is of the same general order az
the thrush. and is named by the world re
nowned Linneus, Turdus Merula, and by
the French and some of our citizens, Merle
The plumage of this, like the other, is full
black, lacking those bright crimson spots,
but fully cempensating in the glossy soft
ness of it's "coat." This bird is consider
ably larger than the "rcd-wing,' being
nearly eleven inches long, of bright vel
low Or orange, as. are also the mouth
tongue AND margin of the eyelids, the
iris itself being hazel hued the feet and
claws are dusky brown, with the exception
Of the bottoms, which are yellow the gen.
eral color of the plumagc is deep black /;
the primaries are lighter, and ebscurcly
tinsed with brown the central portion al
the hidden part of each feather is ligh
In the female, unlike the male, the beak is
brown; the general plumagc also is dark
brown (verging on black above, lighter
beneath the throat and foreneck brown.
with darker edges to the feathers.
Its food consists of snails, insects. larva.
worms. fruits and berries of vari~us kinds
and like " No. l." he believes in "pluckn
up de corn"
1t is an exceedingly shy and active bird
hopping along with tail raised and, gcner-
ally, the wings loose, ready for flight
They pair in early spring, making mes
externally of grass and twigs. and lining
it with mud and afterwards w'tl dry grass;
the nest is usually put in some brier bram-
BILE, bushy pine or hedge. 1t takes the
female thirteen days to hatch her four on
five little blush eggs, tinged with lumber
the male all the while singing his merry
carol from some neighbering tree or bush
and he is capital singer-his notes. though
simple, are loud, rich and mellow. Whe
does not remember, upon rising, hearing
his merry song, sung, as It were, in praise
of the coming day? How pleasant it is to
the ear of the sick to lie and listen to them,
as their sweet voices
"Swsll the breeze,
And sing from all trees
sweet freedoms song"
TIE son of the blackbird is not SO varied
as tn o. the thrus', but it pours erth a
richer and mellower strain, resemblin per.
haps, the rustic song as compared with tie
execution of cultivated talent. Bechstier
says of its note ats voice is so strong
and clear, that in a city it may be hear6
from one end of long street to the other
Its memory is so good that it retains with
out mixing them several airs at once, anf
will even repeat little sentences 1t is {
great favorite with the lovers of plaintivt
clear and musical song, and in these cases
it may be preferable to the bullfinch, who's,
voice is softer, more flute like, but alst
more melancholly.'
They generally raise two broods a year
one in May and another in July. Although
he is sometimes confined in cage, whcr
his song is as joyous as in his native wood
land, he does not prove a very valuable
acqnision to the aviary, for he is apt te
manifest his rugilistic propensities by ariv
ing the other birds around and stealing
their food. But those who desire to kee
him as pet will find him very easil
pleased in the eating line, as he will ell
almost anything, from bread crumbs to IA,
meat, with apparent relish.
Tomn Point, Feb. 1870.