226 THE SMALLER BRITISH BIRDS. 



of the European continent. JNext follows the Blackbird, famous alike 

 for his beautiful glossy jet plumage, handsome form, and rich flute-like 

 song. He is a permanent resident in nearly all parts of Britain, and 

 cannot fail to be loved, and looked upon as a familiar friend, by all 

 those dwellers or ramblers in the country who 



"Go abroad rejoicing in the joy 

 Of beautiful and well-created things." 



The Ring Ouzel could scarcely be distinguished from the Blackbird 

 at a slight distance, were it not for a sharply defined patch of pure 

 white on the upper part of his breast. He is no doubt known to 

 many of our readers who dwell in Scotland, or the northern counties 

 of England, but to those whose homes are in the southern parts, he 

 is probably a stranger. 



The Golden Oriole, though a member of the same family as the 

 previous species, belongs to a separate genus, called Oriolus. In Ger- 

 many and some other parts of Europe this brilliantly-plumaged bird is 

 a common summer resident, but its visits to our island are "few and 

 far between." The Orioles are distinguished from the Thrushes proper 

 by their longer and stouter beaks, shorter necks and legs, and rather 

 longer wings and tails. 



The Waxwing is the only British representative of the Ampelince or 

 Chatterers, a family characterized by short necks, full and compact 

 bodies, tails of moderate length, and longish wings. Our British species, 

 which is, however, but a rare and accidental visitor from northern 

 regions, belongs to the genus Bomby cilia. 



