252 SYLVIAD^E. 



that the Eobin is one of the first to come, and one of 

 the last to go. Mr. Hewitson also saw it in Norway. 



It is a constant resident throughout the year in the 

 temperate and warmer parts of Europe, abundant in Spain 

 and Italy, from the last of which it passes over by Sicily 

 and Malta to North Africa. The Robin was observed by 

 Mr. Strickland at Smyrna in winter ; and the Zoological 

 Society have received specimens sent by Keith Abbott, 

 Esq. from Trebizond. 



In the adult bird, the beak and irides are black : upper 

 part of the head, neck, back, upper tail-coverts and tail- 

 feathers, a yellowish olive brown ; quill-feathers rather 

 darker, the outer edges olive brown ; greater wing-co- 

 verts tipped with buff: over the base of the beak, round 

 the eye, the chin, throat, and upper part of the breast, 

 reddish orange ; encircling this red is a narrow band of 

 bluish grey, which is broadest near the shoulders : lower 

 part of the breast and belly white ; sides, flanks, and 

 under tail-coverts, pale brown ; under surface of wing and 

 tail-feathers dusky grey ; legs, toes, and claws, purple 

 brown. 



The whole length of the bird is five inches and three- 

 quarters. The length of the wing from the carpal joint 

 to the end of the longest quill- feather, three inches : the 

 first wing-feather but half the length of the second, which 

 is not quite so long as the sixth ; the third, fourth, and 

 fifth nearly equal, and the longest in the wing. 



The female is not quite so large as the male, and her 

 colours are less bright. 



The young birds before their first moult have the brown 

 feathers of the head, back, and wing-coverts tipped with 

 buff or very pale brown ; throat and breast tinged with 

 reddish brown, and margined with dark brown. 



