BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE BLACKBIRD. 



BLACK Ol'ZKT.. 



(Turdus Merula, Linn. Merle iwir, Temm.) 



THE length of the Blackbird is generally about 

 ten inches. Its plumage is altogether black; the 

 bill, inside of the mouth, and edges of the eye-lids 

 are yellow, as are also the soles of the feet; legs 

 dirty yellow. The female is mostly deep brown, 

 inclining to rust colour on the breast and belly; 

 bill dusky, legs brown; her song is also very dif- 

 ferent, so that she has sometimes been mistaken 

 for a bird of a different species. 



The males, during the first year, resemble the 

 females so much as not easily to be distinguished 

 from them; but after that, they assume the yellow 

 bill, and other distinguishing marks of their sex. 

 The Blackbird is a solitary bird, frequenting woods 



