94 TUKDID.E. 



Erithacus rubecula. CONTINENTAL REDBREAST. 



Motacilla rubecula Linnanu, Syst. Nat. 1758, p. 188 : 

 Sweden. 



Erithacus rubecula (Linn.) ; Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. 1881, 

 p. 299 (part.). 



Rubecula = the little red bird, diminutive ; from some word meaning red. 



Distribution in the British Islands. A Winter Visitor from 

 northern Europe, and Bird of Passage en route between its 

 continental summer haunts and winter quarters. Chiefly 

 recorded from the coastal districts and northern Islands. 

 General Distribution. The continental race of the Red- 

 breast breeds in Europe up to 68 N. latitude ; in western 

 Siberia, western Turkestan, Madeira, the Azores, and some 

 of the Canary Islands. It is a migrant in the northern parts 

 of its range, and is found in winter in Persia and the Medi- 

 terranean countries as far south as the oases of the Sahara. 

 In addition to the British Redbreast, other allied forms 

 inhabit the western Canary Islands, north-west Africa, 

 Sardinia and Corsica, the Caucasus, and Persia. 



Erithacus rubecula melophilus. BRITISH 

 REDBREAST. 



Erithacus rubecula melophilus Hartert, Nov. Zool. 

 viii. 1901, p. 317 : British Islands. 



Erithacus rubecula (Linn.) ; Seebohm, Cat. Birds B. M. v. 1881, 

 p. 299 (part.) ; B. O. U. List, 1st ed. 1883, p. 10 ; Sounders, 

 Manual, 2nd ed. 1899, p. 37. 



Melophilus = melodious ; from jieXos, a melody, and 0iXtw, I love. 



Distribution in the British Islands. Resident and common, 

 becoming scarcer in the far north of the mainland and in the 

 Hebrides and Orkneys. Many individuals leave their native 

 haunts for southern winter quarters beyond our shores in 

 autumn and return in spring, and hence some of our native 

 birds are Summer Visitors. 



