458 PERCHING BIRDS 



spots and streaks, while the under-parts are h"ght rufous brown, with a 

 dark spot to the tip of each feather ; young cocks being distinguishable 

 by their darker colour above and more distinct spotting below. Even 

 after the\- have assumed the adult black dress, the beak remains dusky 

 till the second year, when it acquires the characteristic \-ellow. 



The geographical range of the blackbird is much more restricted 

 than that of either the song -thrush or the mistle- thrush, extending 

 eastwards apparently only about as far as the valley of the Volga in 

 the north, and Palestine in the south. It includes, however, practically 

 the whole of the rest of Europe as far north as the Arctic Circle, 

 and likewise northern Africa, together with the Azores, Canaries, and 

 Madeira. Blackbirds of other species, it ma\' be added, are found 

 throughout the greater part of Asia, as well as in some of the islands 

 of the South Pacific and in South America, although, strange to say, 

 the group is entirely unrepresented in the northern half of the New 

 World. In view of the distribution of the spotted thrushes, the latter 

 circumstance is very remarkable. With the apparent exception of 

 some of the islands of the Outer Hebrides and Shetland groups, 

 where it is only an occasional autumn and winter visitor, the black- 

 bird is resident throughout the British Isles at the present da)', although 

 it seems to have established itself in some of the northern districts of 

 Scotland onl}' within recent j-ears. Like most birds, however, it is 

 partially migrator)', and in autumn a considerable number of blackbirds 

 betake themselves from the south of England to the Continent, while 

 others arrive on the eastern coasts from Scandinavia. 



With a great fondness for strawberries and raspberries, the blackbird 

 lacks the redeeming feature of the thrush in that it does not destroy 

 slugs and snails. Its flute-like notes in the earl)' part of the breeding- 

 season are unrivalled ; while the loud cries uttered as it flies from a 

 hedgerow when disturbed are equally characteristic of the species. 



The nest is of the usual thrush-type ; but the mud or clay with 

 which it is strengthened is confined to the outer portion, the interior 

 being entirely formed of fine grass-bents, and thus very unlike the 

 mud-cup of that of the thrush. The nest may be placed in almost 

 any position within a short distance of the ground — sometimes on the 

 ground itself — and the well-known greenish-blue eggs, thickly speckled 

 with chestnut of variable shades, are laid very early in the spring, and 

 the young hatched towards the end of March or early in April. From 

 four to six eggs go to a clutch ; and, at least, two broods are reared in 

 a season. Occasionally spotless eggs are seen ; and there arc others 

 in which the chestnut markings are concentrated in a central zone, or 



