42 BLACK BIRD—BLACKCAP 
country where it no longer breeds, that incredulity as to its boom- 
ing at all has in some quarters succeeded the old belief in this as 
in other reputed peculiarities of the species. The Bittern is found 
from Ireland to Japan, in India, and throughout the whole of 
Africa—suitable localities being, of course, understood. Australia 
and New Zealand have a kindred species, B. peciloptilus, and North 
America a third, B. mugitans or B. lentiginosus. The former is said 
to bellow like a bull, but authorities differ as to the vocal powers 
of the latter,” which has several times wandered to Europe, and is 
distinguishable by its smaller size and uniform greyish-brown prim- 
aries, which want the tawny bars that characterize B. stelluris. 
Nine other species of Bitterns from various parts of the world are 
admitted by Schlegel (Aus. P.-B. Ardew, pp. 47-56), but some of 
them should perhaps be excluded from the genus Bofaurus ; on the 
other hand, Dr. Reichenow (Journ. f. Orn. 1877, pp. 241-251), by 
comprehending the birds of the Group Ardetia,—commonly known 
as “Little Bitterns,” and differing a good deal from the true 
Bitterns—makes the whole number of species twenty-two. 
BLACKBIRD, the common, but not the most ancient,? name of 
the OUSEL, the 7urdus merula,* of Linnzeus and most ornithologists, 
one of the best known of British birds; but since conferred in dis- 
tant countries on others whose only resemblance to the original 
bearer lies in their colour, as in North America to several members 
of the Icleridw (GRACKLE and IcTERuS), in the West Indies to the 
species of Crotophaga (ANI), and perhaps to more in other lands. 
Occasionally too in translations of Scandinavian works it is used 
to render Svartfugl—the general name for the Alcide (AUK)—of 
which indeed it is an equivalent, but its use in that capacity tends 
to mistakes, 
BLACKCAP, the Sylvia atricapilla of ornithology, one of the 
most delicate songsters of the British Islands, and fortunately of 
general distribution in summer. To quote the praise bestowed 
upon it in more than one passage by Gilbert White would be 
1 The last recorded instance of the Bittern breeding in England was in 1868, 
as mentioned by Stevenson (Birds of Norfolk, ii. p. 164). All the true Bitterns, 
so far as is known, lay eggs of a light olive-brown colour. 
2 Richardson, a most accurate observer, positively asserts (Yawna Boreali- 
Americana, ii. p. 874) that its booming exactly resembles that of its European 
congener, but few American ornithologists, Mr. Torrey (Auk, 1889, pp. 1-8) 
excepted, seem to have heard it in perfection. 
° Tts earliest use seems to be in the Book of St. Albans in 1486, where it 
occurs as ‘‘ blacke bride.” 
4 By some unhappy accident the order of these words is reversed in Dr. 
Murray’s New English Dictionary. The bird has been named Merula atra, but 
never Merula turdus (as therein stated) by Linnzus or any one else. 
