68 



British Birds. 



THE 



BLACKBIRD. 



{Merula 



The Blackbird. 



The Blackbirds 

 and Thrushes have 

 not the large white 

 wing-patch on the 

 inner side of the 

 wing which distinguishes the mem- 

 bers of the genera Oreocichla and 

 Geocichla. In the genus Merula 

 the se.xes are difterent in colour, 

 whereas in the true Thrushes the 

 male and female are alike. The 

 male Blackbird is distinguished h\ 

 its bright yellow bill, this being dark 

 brown or blackish in the female, 

 although in very old birds it has a 

 tendency to become j'ellow. It is 

 a species found everywhere in the 

 British Islands and extends throughout Europe, but does not range far north in 

 Russia. 



This familiar species is too well known to require much notice of its habits. It is 

 found inhabiting every variety of situation, and is a denizen of our parks and 

 gardens, and is very common in the neighbourhood of London. Like other 

 Thrushes its food consists largely of worms and insects, and it devours a great 

 quantity of fruit, when the latter is unprotected. The nest is a large and well-built 

 structure of twigs and moss, grass and mud, and finally lined with fine grass. The 

 eggs are from four to six in number, and vary considerably in colour, from greenish 

 blue thickly spotted with reddish 

 brown to blue with only a small 

 proportion of reddish dots. 



In this species 

 the colour of the 

 sexes does not 

 differ to the same 

 extent as in the 

 Blackbird, but both male and female 

 are black, with a broad white gorget, 

 which is very conspicuous when the 

 bird flies ; in the hen-bird, however, 

 this gorget is slightly overshadowed 

 >vith brown, and the feathers of the 

 under parts are edged with whitish. 



THE 



RING-OUZEL. 



(Merula 



torquata.) 



The Ring-Ouzel. 



