214 MERULIDA. 
and constantly resident in Ireland: it is found also in the 
northern counties; and in Northumberland, Mr. Selby 
says that “about the beginning of November vast flocks 
of Blackbirds make their appearance upon our coasts, from 
more northern countries. They remain but a few days to 
recruit, and then resume their flight in a south-westerly 
direction.” 
The Blackbird ig also found over Scotland. Mr. Selby 
saw it in Sutherlandshire in June 1834; and it is re- 
corded as inhabitmg the Hebrides, Orkneys, and Shet- 
land. 
In Sweden, Professor Nilsson says it is common every- 
where ; and Mr. Hewitson and his party saw it occasionally 
in Norway. From the northern parts of Europe it is 
spread southward over the whole of the European con- 
tinent to Italy, Corfu, Sicily, and Malta, and is known to 
go from thence to North Africa. According to M. Tem- 
minck, the Blackbird also inhabits the Morea; and Mr. 
Charles Darwin saw it as far to the westward as Tercera, 
one of the Azores. 
The beak and the edges of the eyelids in the adult male 
are gamboge-yellow: the whole of the plumage black ; 
under surface of the wings shming greyish black ; the legs 
and toes brownish black ; claws black. 
The whole length of the bird about ten inches. The 
wing from the carpal joimt to the end of the longest primary 
four inches and seven-eighths: the first feather very short ; 
the second not quite so long as the fifth, but longer than 
the sixth; the third, fourth, and fifth feathers, equal in 
length, and the longest in the wing. 
In the female, all the plumage of the upper surface is 
uniform umber brown; the chin, throat, and upper part 
of the breast, reddish yellow brown, with a few darker- 
