MERULA MERULA:
MER U LA MER U LA (IAnn).
BLACKBIRD.
Le Merle, Briss. Orn. ii. p, 227. (1760).
Le Merle de France, D’Aubent. PI. Enl. pis. 2, 555 (1775).
Turdus merula, Linn. Syst, Nat. i. p. 295 (1766),
Blackbird, Latb. Gen. Syn. ii. p. 48 (1788),
Merula nigra, Leach, Syst. Cat. Mamm. & B. 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. Tosc. i. p. 205 (1827).
Merula pinetorum, Brehm, Vog. Deutschl. p. 872 (1831).
Merula truncorum, Brehm, t. c. p. 373 (1831).
Merula alticeps, Brehm, t.-c. p. 373 (1831).
Merula carniolica, Brehm, t. c. p. 374 (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, TJcc, Veron. p. 56 (1858).
Turdus dactylopterus, B p .; Gray, Hand-1. B. i. p. 255, no. 3714 (1869).
Turdus merula, var. montana, Savi; Salvad. in Dresser’s B. Eur. ii. p. 99 (1872),
M. nigra (<$■) vel brunnea ( ? )., hujus gutture nigro striato : pedibus saturate brunneis : rostro flavo.
T h e Common Blackbird is one of the species peculiar to the Western Palsearctic Region, where it is
generally distributed. I t is an occasional visitor to the Faeroes, as recorded by Muller, 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.
The 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. The 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 i«
VOL. II. j is
B