MERULA MERULA (Linn). 
BLACKBIRD. 
Le Merle, Briss. Orn. ii. p. 227 (1760). 
Le Merle de France, D'Aubent. Pl. Enl. pls. 2, 555 (1775). 
Turdus merula, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 295 (1766). 
Blackbird, Lath. Gen. Syn. и. p. 43 (1783). 
Merula nigra, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. & В. Brit. Mus. p. 20 (1816). 
Merula merula, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 552; Seebohm, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. v. p. 235 (1881). 
Sylvia merula, Savi, Orn. Тове. i. p. 205 (1827). 
Merula pinetorum, Brehm, Уба. Deutschl. p. 372 (1881). 
Merula truncorum, Brehm, t. c. p. 373 (1831). 
Merula alticeps, Brehm, t. c. p. 373 (1881). 
Merula carniolica, Brehm, t. c. p. 874 (1831). 
Turdus merula, var. syriacus, Hempr. & Ehr. Symb. Phys. fol. bb (1833). 
Merula vulgaris, Selby, Brit. Orn. i. p. 167 (1833). 
Merula major, Brehm, Naumannia, 1855, p. 281. 
Turdus menegazzianus, Perini, Ucc. Veron. p. 56 (1858). 
Turdus dactylopterus, Bp. ; Gray, Hand-l. B. i. p. 255, no. 3714 (1869). 
Turdus merula, var. montana, Savi ; Salvad. in Dresser's B. Eur. ii. p. 99 (1872). 
M. nigra (4) vel brunnea ( 9), hujus gutture nigro striato : pedibus saturaté brunneis : rostro flavo. 
Tar Common Blackbird is one of the species peculiar to the Western Palearctic Region, where it is 
generally distributed. It is an occasional visitor to the Faeroes, as recorded by Müller, and it is 
believed to have occurred in Iceland on two occasions—once in 1823, as stated by Preyer, and again 
in March 1860, according to Mr. Metcalfe. Professor Newton, in noticing these instances, remarks 
that, even if there has been no mistake in identification, in either case the species can only be 
regarded as a very exceptional visitor. 
Тһе Blackbird is a resident in nearly every part of the British Isles, but a large accession to 
its numbers takes place in autumn, and in some of the Outer Hebrides and in the Shetlands it is only 
known to occur on migration. I have also seen on the south coast of England small parties 
of Blackbirds frequenting the reed-lined dykes of Romney Marsh in the autumn, apparently on 
migration, which would seem to indicate that many of our home-bred Blackbirds cross the sea, as is 
the case with the Pied Wagtail and other species. Selby has spoken of the large numbers of 
Blackbirds which migrate to the coast of Northumberland, and Stevenson says the same with regard 
to the arrival of the species in Norfolk. 
In St. Kilda it does not nest, according to Mr. Dixon (Ibis, 1885, p. 80), and is only found in 
spring and autumn. Тһе late Mr. Robert Gray published the following interesting note on the 
present species in his work on the ‘ Birds of the West of Scotland ':—* The Blackbird is common 
only at times in the outer group of the Hebrides. On Lewis, although a well-known resident, it is 
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