THE CONTINENTAL SONG-THRUSH. 399 



TURDUS PHILOMELUS* 



166. Turdus philomelus philomelus Brehm THE CON- 

 TINENTAL SONG-THRUSH. 



TURDUS PHILOMELOS Brehm, Handb. Naturg. Vog. Deutschl., p. 382 (1831 



Middle Germany). 



Turdus musicus (nori Linnaeus, 1758 !), Yarrell, i, p. 264 (part) ; Saunders, 



p. 3 (part). 



Turdus philomelos, Hartert, Brit. B., iv, p. 131. 



DESCRIPTION. Adult male and female. Winter. Like T. ph. 

 darkei, but nape, mantle and scapulars paler, somewhat greyer and 

 not of so reddish a tinge ; rump and upper tail-coverts greyer and 

 more olive ; buff of under-parts paler and not so extensive, chin and 

 upper throat being usually whitish or very pale buff and white of 

 belly extending farther up breast. Moult as in T. ph. darkei. 

 Summer. Same differences, but more marked, upper-parts becom- 

 ing considerably greyer and under-parts whiter. (N.B. There is 

 considerable individual variation and a series should be compared.) 



Nestling. (Not examined.) 



Juvenile. Like that of T. ph. darkei. 



Measurements and structure and Soft parts. As in T. ph. 

 darkei. 



FIELD -CHARACTERS. Can sometimes be distinguished in field from 

 British Song-Thrush, especially when flying low, by greyer appear- 

 ance, but usually no difference of which one can be certain is 

 apparent. Rather shyer. (H.F.W.) 



BREEDING-HABITS. Similar to those of British Song -Thrush, but 

 less confiding and less frequently found near dwellings. Eggs. 

 Also similar, but average less in size. Average of 50, 27 X 20.2 mm. 



FOOD. Similar to that of British race. Grapes and olives taken 

 on Continent. 



DISTRIBUTION. Great Britain. Passage-migrant and winter-visitor, 

 having been identified from late Sept. to early Nov. on coasts 

 of Northumberland, Yorks., Lines., Norfolk, and Suffolk, and 

 Isle of May (Forth), in April at Dorset Light, and in March and 

 April as well as autumn at St. Catherine's Light (Isle of Wight), 

 also at Mull of Galloway Light and Tarbatness (Ross.). In Oct. and 

 Dec. at Barnsness Lt. (Haddington). On both spring and autumn 



* Generally called Turdus musicus, but Linnaeus described, in 1758, 

 under this name the Redwing ! His diagnosis " alis subtus ferrugineis, 

 linea superciliari albicante " leaves no doubt. The next oldest name for the 

 Song-Thrush is T. philomelos Brehm, 1831. E.H. 



