146 BIRDS 



At one time I thought, with Sir Walter Buller, that albinism was 

 on the increase among thrushes in New Zealand, but as the result 

 of long observation I am compelled to think this is not the case. Any 

 thrush showing a tendency to develop white feathers seems to be a 

 marked bird, not only by man, but by other birds, and even by other 

 thrushes, and they do not appear to have a happy time. 



Thrushes have found their way to the Chatham Islands, a distance 

 of 450 miles east-south-east of Cape Palliser. 



* Blackbird (Turdiis merula) 



The Nelson Society introduced 26 blackbirds about 1862, but 

 there is no record as to their success at the time. 



The Otago Society liberated two in 1865, six in 1867, 39 in 1868, 

 21 in 1869, and 70 in 1871. Ten years later we read they "are now 

 exceedingly numerous and we regret to say are found to be rather 

 partial to cherries and other garden fruits." 



In Station Life in New Zealand, p. 16, Lady Barker, vmting of 

 her voyage from Melbourne to New Zealand in 1865, says: 



111 as I was, I remember being roused to something like a flicker of 

 animation, when I was shown an exceedingly seedy and shabby-looking 

 blackbird with a broken leg in splints, which its master assured me he 

 had bought in Melbourne as a great bargain for only £z. los. od. 



The Canterbury Society received two in 1865 from Captain Rose 

 of the 'Mermaid' who also sold "a number of songbirds" to the 

 Society for ;^i8. I regret to say there is no record of these "song- 

 birds," to enable us to identify them. In 1867 the Society introduced 

 46, and in 1868, 152 blackbirds. In 1871 the Report states of 

 them, as of the thrushes, that "they have not increased as well as 

 expected, and it is much to be feared have been killed by cats." 

 In 1871 Mr R. Bills brought a further consignment of 62 to the 

 Society, and many more were introduced in 1875. 



The Auckland Society introduced eight birds in 1865; about 30 

 in 1867, and 132 in the following year, when they were "considered 

 to be thoroughly acclimatized." In 1869 a further large consignment 

 was liberated. It is rather singular that in the far north, Whangarei 

 and further north, blackbirds are rare or altogether wanting, while 

 thrushes are common. 



They were liberated on Stewart Island in 1879, and are seen every 

 breeding season near settlements. 



This is now one of the commonest of our introduced birds in 

 very many parts of New Zealand. 



Mr Philpott (19 1 8) says that: 

 unlike the thrush the blackbird is to be found in the heart of the big 



