The Black Bird. Meruli,
Numb. XXXVII.
IT S Length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail is eleven
Inches, Breadth fifteen Inches, Weight three Ounces and ten Drams.
The Bill is an Inch long, in the Cock of a deep yellow; in the Hen
the tip and upper part is black: the Mouth in both Sexes is yellow within:
the Bill of the Cock is black when young, and changes yellow at a Year
old; he alio changes to a black when he hath mewed his chicken Feathers.
The Hen is rather brown, or of a dark ruftet, than black. The
Cocks cannot be diftinguifhed from the Hens when young, but by the
Jrtdes of the Eye, which is yellow in the young Cocks.» The Number
of quill Feathers in each Wing are eighteen, of which the fourth is the
longeft. The Tail is four Inches long, made up of twelve Feathers, the
two outermoft of which are fomewhat ihorter than the reft....
The Feet are black; the outermoft fore-Toe and the .back-Toe are
equal, and the outermoft. toe joined to the middlemoft at bottom as in the
reft of this kind. The Liver is divided into two Lobes, and hath its Gall-
Bladder annexed. The. Gizzard is not very fleihy nor thick, as in the
reft. It feeds promifcuoufly upon Berries and Infedts. The Cock whittles
and-fings very pleafantly all the Spring and Summer-time.
They build their Neft very artificially, the outfide of Mofs, flender
Twigs, Bents and fibrous Roots cemented and joined together with Clay,
dawbing the infide alfo all over with Clay,, and lining it with a Covering
of fmall Straws, Bents Hair, and other foft Matter, upon which
lhe lays four or five Eggs, feldom more, of a bluiih green Colour, full of
dusky Spots and Lines. They love to waih and prune their Feathers, and
for the moft part fly fingly; whence it took the Name Merula, which
fignifies to be folitary or fingle.
It is faid they find fbme of theie Birds white on the Alps and other
high Mountains, which Alteration of Colour is thought to proceed from
their remaining continually in thofe cold Places. I had a Bird of this Kind
finely mottled fent me by Sir Robert Abdy out of EJfex.