522 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



Bill dusky-yellow ; legs yellowish ; irides brown. Length 8^ 

 inches ; wing 4^ ; tail 3 ; bill at front || ; tarsus 1j-q, 



The male of this Blackbird resembles the last ; but differs in 

 wanting the white markings on the upper plumage, being thus 

 more allied to the true * Blackbirds.' 



The male bird has not, to my knowledge, been obtained in India; 

 ♦ 

 but the female was procured by Mr. Blyth in the neighbourhood of 



Calcutta, and, though at first considered distinct, was afterwards 



referred to GeocicJila unicolor as a fully adult or old male. It is 



chiefly an inhabitant of China and Japan, probably migrating 



southward during the winter, and will most probably be fo^^nd in 



Upper Burraah. The female so much resembles the coloration of 



Tardus dirysolaus, Temm., PI. Col., 537, that, judging from the 



figure alone, I cannot help suspecting their identity. 



Very probably, other species shou.ld be included in this group : 

 among others, Turdus sibiricus, Gmel. ( T. leiicocillns, Pall.) ; T. 

 mutabilis, Tem., of Java, formerly confounded with the last by 

 Bonaparte ; and, I strongly suspect, Turdus interpres, Kuhl, of Java, 

 which Bonaparte classes as a Geocichla, and which chiefly differs 

 from T. Wardii, in having a chesnut head and nape. Gray's Turdus 

 avensis, which Blyth suspects to be allied to Enicnriis, appears to 

 me to be the same bird, or is, at all events, a very nearly allied 

 species. Perhaps, also T. terrestris, Kittl, (T. aonalasckktBi Gmel., 

 Myiothera passerina, of the Leyden Museum) belongs here. 



Gen. Merula, Leach. 



Char. — Bill slightly lengthened, compressed at the tip, and 

 notched; nostrils feathered at the base ; rictal bristles short and 

 strong ; tarsus of moderate length ; feet strong ; wings long ; 2nd 

 quill shorter than 5th, which is nearly as long as the 3rd and 4th ; 

 tail square or nearly so. 



The ' Blackbirds' form a group of nearly allied species, from most 

 parts of the world, chiefly of black plumage, with yellow or orange- 

 colored bills. They are remarkable for their fine power of voice. 

 We possess three species in India, and Ceylon has another. 



