THE BLACK-THROATED OUZEL. 251 



been obtained by Herr Taucre's collectors on the Altai Mountains. They 

 exhibit tlic same variatiou in colour as the eggs of the Blackbird, and 

 measure from 1'2 to 1'15 inch in length, and from '8 to '75 inch in breadth. 

 The young in nestling-plumage which I brought from the valley of the 

 Yenesay are very like the young of the Fieldfare, although the chestnut 

 wing-liuing and axiliaries distinguish them at a glance, as also from the 

 30uug of another closely allied Asiatic bird, of which I had the good 

 fortune to obtain both eggs and young, the Dark Ouzel [Merula ohscurd). 



The autumn plumage of the Black-throated Ouzel is olive-brown above, 

 daikest on the wings and tail; below, the throat and breast are black, with 

 pale margins to the featlicis, and the sides and flanks are greyish brown, 

 becoming pure white on the belly. The wing-lining and axiliaries are rich 

 chestnut. During winter and spring the edges to the feathers are cast ; 

 and the nuptial plumage displays the throat and breast pure black, the 

 white of the underparts more distinct, and the whole colour of the upper 

 parts much paler. Bill dark brown above, pale below ; legs and feet pale 

 brown; irides dark brown. Females want the black on the throat and 

 breast, the feathers having dark centres, except on the lower throat, which 

 is uniform creamy white. Males of the year are like old females. 



The nearest relation of the Black-throated Ouzel is undoubtedly the 

 Red-throated Ouzel (Merula ruficoUis). So nearly allied are these species 

 that there seems every reason to believe that they interbreed. In the 

 Berlin ]Museum is a complete series of intermediate forms, from one to the 

 other, including both extremes, all collected by Dybowsky on the southern 

 shores of Lake Baikal in April and May. 



The Gf Id-vented Bulbul (Pi/cnonoius capensis) has no claim whatever to be considered 

 a British bird, or even an accidental \isit(jr to Europe. It has been included in the list in 

 consequence of a single alleged occurrence more than forty years ape : this bird may have 

 escaped from a cage, or it may have been accidentally changed for a foi eign skin. The only 

 fXiiiiiple on which its claims to the Britit^h fauna rest is a specimen iillrtipd to have been 

 shot near "\\'ati!rtord, and which was in the collection of Dr. Robert Biirlcitt. In the same 

 colli'Ction is also an example of Subo capensis, which is represented to ha-se been shot in 

 Ireland and which is labelled Subo inaxiiiiiis — a cir('Uinstance which throws great doubt on 

 the accm-acy of the localities of the birds in this collection, and suggests the idea that the 

 specimen of the Gold-vented Biilbul was also a South-African skin. The true home of the 

 Gold-vented Bulbul is South Africa, where it seems to be exclusively contined to the 

 Gape Colony. 



It is a common mistake, into which many ornitholopist.s, and amongst them Professor 

 Newton in his edition of Yarrell'a ' British Birds,' have fallen, to suppose that the Biilbula 

 of modern naturalists belong to the same group as the Bulbul so celebrated in eastern 

 song. The latter is the Per.-iau Nightingale, -Z?/(V/(«(Hs i/ofcu. None of the birds which 

 ornitholooists call Bulbuls have any great powers of song, unless it be the Palestine Bulbul, 

 Pi/ciionoii(s .ranthopygas, which, in Canon Tristram's opinion, almost equals the Nightingale 

 in power of voice. 



TTie general colour of the Gold-vented Bulbid is brown, a little darker on the head, 

 wings, and tail ; it is almost white on the centre of the belly, and has the under tail- 

 coverts bright yellow. 



