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that it is also abundant and partially resident in Sardinia. Count Salvadori states that in Italy 

 the Blackbird is found, and is resident throughout the country, but that in October their numbers 

 receive large reinforcements from the north on their passage southwards. In a paper by Baron 

 De Selys-Longchamps on birds observed by him in Italian Museums (Ibis, 1870, 'p. 452), he 

 remarks : — " In the Museum at Pisa there is a bird which differs from Turclus merula in that the 

 male never becomes quite black, and that the female has the breast of a more lively red. 

 Professor Savi calls it the ' Merle maritime,' and believes that it comes from Africa." Imme- 

 diately on reading this notice we wrote to our friend Count Salvadori, of Turin, requesting him 

 to use his good offices with Professor Savi to procure us the loan of a pair of these birds for 

 figuring in the present work. Unfortunately Savi died about the time our request was preferred, 

 and Count Salvadori has been, up to the present time, unable to procure us the sight of the male 

 of this curious Blackbird ; but he has sent us a female out of the Turin Museum, which is a very 

 remarkable bird, quite different from any female of the common species yet examined by us. 

 When the male arrives we shall give a further account of this bird. With respect to the com- 

 munication of Baron De Selys-Longchamps, Count Salvadori writes to us : — " I have been much 

 surprised at the name used by Baron De Selys-Longchamps ; for Savi used to speak to me of the 

 bird under the title of Turdus merula, var. moutana, and I have never heard him express an 

 opinion that it came from Africa. It is not uncommon in the Maremma Toscana, where it seems 

 to be permanent ; all the specimens that I have seen were females." 



Captain Sperling, in his notes on the ornithology of the Mediterranean, says that he found 

 it in Rhodes, Greece, and the Ionian Islands, where it is not very plentiful in summer, but in 

 winter is in the greatest abundance, owing doubtless to the arrival of migrants from the north. 

 Lord Lilford found it abundant in Corfu, Epirus, and Albania, in winter. " I imagine," he adds, 

 " as in the case of the Song-Thrush, that a few pairs breed in Epirus." Lindermayer says it is 

 resident in Greece. In the winter it inhabits the olive-groves on the plains, in bushy desert 

 places ; but early in March it leaves these localities for the mountains, where it breeds. Dr. 

 Kruper also writes to us that it is very common in Greece during the winter, and in summer is 

 found breeding in all the mountains. Messrs. Elwes and Buckley found it plentiful in Turkey ; 

 and Mr. Robson writes to us from Ortakeuy : — " The Blackbird, is abundant both in European 

 and Asiatic Turkey, where it is migratory, great numbers arriving in the middle of October." 

 Professor von Nordmann states that " in Southern Russia large numbers breed, disappearing about 

 the end of October, about the same time as the Song-Thrush. When the fruit of the Crataegus 

 oxyacantha is ripe, it often visits the large gardens in New Russia and Bessarabia." Our friend 

 Dr. L. Taczanowski writes to us as follows: — " It is common everywhere in Poland, arriving early 

 in April and leaving in the first half of October. Some few winter in the thickets skirting the 

 rushes ; but these are always males. I have seen some dozens at this season, and never observed 

 a female amongst them." It is found, according to Pallas, in the woods of Western Russia, and 

 goes as far as the river Kama ; it is also common in the gardens and woods of the Crimea. 

 Menetries also observed the Blackbird during his journey in the Caucasus. Sabanaef states that 

 it does not go eastward of the Ural. 



It was seen only once by De Filippi during his visit to Persia, in his garden at Tedgrisch ; 

 Pallas, however, says that it winters in that country ; but Messrs. Dickson and Ross procured the 



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