The Blackbird. 19 



Family — TURDID.F. Sub family - TURBINE. 



The Blackbird. 



Turdus vierula, LiNN. 



THIS handsome Thrush is generally distributed over nearly every country of 

 Europe and North Africa. In Norway at about 67° N. lat. it appears to 

 reach its highest breeding range ; it also occurs in Asia Minor, Palestine, 

 Persia, Turkestan, Afghanistan and Cashmere, being somewhat larger in the three 

 last mentioned countries, and, on that account distinguished by Mr. Seebohm as a 

 race to which he has given the name of Mcrula Jiiaxitna. In Great Britain it is 

 generally distributed and partiall}^ resident, but in the Shetland Islands it occurs 

 only in the winter ; and, in the Hebrides its appearance is irregular, although on 

 some of them it is recognized as a rare resident. In the southern counties in 

 winter its numbers are largely increased by immigrants from the north. 



The adult male is entirely glossy black in plumage ; the bill in young birds 

 golden ochreous, gradually becoming deep orange with age, feet brownish black, 

 iris hazel, edges of eyelids golden yellow. The adult female, when young, is deep 

 brown ; somewhat rufous on the throat and breast, which are streaked with smoky 

 black ; the bill brown and considerably broader and shorter than in the male ; as 

 the bird grows older, the gape becomes more or less edged with ochre yellow, the 

 black throat-streaks become more pronounced and the chin sometimes becomes 

 whitish. In the nestling birds most of the feathers have pale shaft-streaks, and 

 those of the upper parts have dark tips ; whilst those of the under parts have dark 

 bars ; in other respects they resemble young hen birds : young males are said to 

 be slightly more dusky than females ; but if such a difference exists, I never could 

 satisfy myself of the fact in the case of the young birds which, from time to time, 

 I have hand-reared : the more active and pugnacious disposition and narrower crown 

 would be far better guides in the selection of cock nestlings. 



Talking of pugnacity, it is pre-eminently a characteristic of the Blackbird, 

 and especially at the pairing season : the Song-Thrush is combative enough, but 

 the Blackbird will fight to the bitter end. I remember, on one occasion when in 

 my garden, hearing a violent rustling and flapping of wings and supposing that 



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