The- Hiftory ^ ANIMALS. / 493 
It is frequent with us in woods and hedges, and has been defcribed by all the 
writers on thefe fubjedts. They call it Merula and Merula nigra. The males of this 
fpecies, when kept in cages, are eternal fingers. 
Turdas nigricans torque albo. 
The black Turdus , with a white ring. 
This fpecies is a little larger than the common black-bird ; it’s weight is near five 
ounces: the head is large and flatted 3 the eyes are large, and their iris is hazel: the beak 
is half an inch long, and of a brownifh colour 5 the infide of the mouth is yellow, and 
the tongue is hairy : the head, back, and wings are of a very dufky brownifh colour; 
the bread and belly are covered with long feathers, fpotted in the middle, and fringed 
about the edges with white: the lower part of the throat is elegantly variegated with 
a femi-lunar ring, or ftreak of white, of a finger’s breadth in the middle; the nar¬ 
rower parts or Corners terminating at the fides, and no part of the -mark being conti¬ 
nued round. 
The wings are moderately long, and the long feathers in each are eighteen : the tail 
is compofed of twelve; they are nearly of a length, only the exterior two are fome- 
what fhorter, and they alfo are blacker than the reft : the legs are brown, flender, 
and moderately long. 
This is a native of moft parts of Europe; it is found in woods, and particularly on 
thofe in hilly places. All the writers on birds have defcribed it under the name of 
Merula torquata. 
Turdus nigricans torque fufco. 
The black Turdus , with a brown ring. 
This is fomewhat larger than the common black-bird : the head is large, flatted, 
and compreffed ; the eyes are large, their iris is of a dufky hazel: the beak is oblong, 
{lender, fharp, and yellow: the whole upper upper part of the bird is of a dufky 
brown, variegated with fpots and ftreaks of black : the throat is of a reddifh-brown, 
variegated with black fpots; the ring at the bottom of the throat is brown, and is 
fometimes fo pale, as to be fcarce diftinguifhable : the breaft and belly are grey, and 
are variegated with fpots of black; the legs are of a dufky colour, 
f 
This is common in many parts of Europe, but we have it not in England. Moft 
of the writers on birds have named it. Wiilughby calls it Merula montana. 
' ‘ \\ 
Turdus dorfo grifeo , plumis pinnatis. 
The grey Turdus , with pinnated plumes. 
This is of the fize of the common black-bird: the head is fmall, and very little, if 
at all, flatted at the crown : the eyes are large and bright; the beak is a finger’s 
breadth long, fharp at the point, fomewhat flatted on the upper part, and throughout 
black: the mouth is yellow within, and the tongue is divided : the head and back are 
of a deep brown, approaching to black, but variegated in a very lingular and elegant 
manner vvitn a pale grey, in fo large a proportion, that it feems the principal colour 3 
the feathers are elegantly pinnated, and the edges grey : the throat is white { the tips 
of the feathers which cover the breaft are grey 3 there runs alfo a black line acrofs the 
breaft : The legs are flender, and moderately long, and are of a lead colour. 
This fpecies is frequent in many parts of Europe, but we have it not in England. 
Moft of the authors who have written on birds have defcribed it. They call it Me¬ 
rula faxatilis; and Ray in particular, Merula faxatilis Sturni genus. 
