142 MERULID.E. 



garded only as a mode of repeating its notes, called by bird- 

 fanciers "recording." 



Of the stomachs of three redwings opened by me, one (in Janu- 

 ary) contained the remains of insects, two shells of Helix cettaria, 

 and one of H. radiata; two (in December) exhibited worms, vege- 

 table food, chiefly bits of grass, remains of coleopterous insects, 

 and several Limacetti ; one had in addition two of the Bulimus 

 luhricus, a Helix hisjnda, and three of H. rufescens : some of 

 these shells were perfect. 



THE BLACKBIBD. 



Tiwdus merula, Linn. 



Is common and resident throughout the wooded districts 

 of Ireland. 



They likewise resort to the islands off the coasts. In the summer 

 of 1827 I remarked them among the underwood sparingly scat- 

 tered over the Lighthouse island (one of the Copelands), off the 

 county of Down. Dr. J. D. Marshall mentions one or two being 

 occasionally seen in the wild island of Rathlin, about a garden 

 where they sometimes breed. The indigenous birds do not 

 congregate with us, nor have I ever heard of flocks being seen 

 in any part of this country on their migration from the north 

 of Europe, as they have been in England.* They are indeed stated 

 to be more numerous about Tralee (co. Kerry) in winter than 

 in summer, but their comparative scarcity at the latter season 

 is attributed to the want of woods and thickets wherein to 

 build. 



In the middle of June, I have heard the blackbird sing 

 at Wolf-hill as early in the morning as a quarter past 2 o'clock. In 

 1832, it was noted as ceasing its song about the middle of June, 

 soon after which time the thrush also ceased : so late as the 25th 

 of July, 1845, the blackbird's song was heard near Belfast. 

 Captain Walker of Belmont, Wexford, remarked in a letter to me, 



* Selby's Illustr. of Brit. Om. vol. i. p. 167, second edition. 



