146 



THE RING OUZEL. 



The "Water Ouzel is found in many parts of Europe. Tlie female 

 makes her nest on the ground, in some mossy bank near tne water, ot 

 hay and dried fibres, lining it with dry oak-leaves, and forming to i^ 

 a portico or entrance of moss. The eggs are five in number; white, 

 tiiigjd with a tine blush of red. A pair of these birds, which had 

 fi>r muny years built under a small woo'leii bridge in Caerraarthen- 

 shii'e, were found to liave a nest early in May : this was taken, but it 

 c 'iitaincd no eggs, although the binl flew out of it at the time. 

 Ab:ut a fortnight afterwards the\^ had eoin]ileted another nest in the 

 8 ime place, enclosing five eggs; this was taken; and, in a month, 

 B third nest, under the same bridge, Avas taken, that had in it four 

 eggs; undoubtedly the work of the same birds, as no others were 

 fecen about that part. At the time that the last nest was taken, the 

 female was sitting; and the instant she quitted the nest, she plunged 

 into the water, and disappeared for a considerable while, till at last 

 she emerged at a great distance down the stream. At another time, a 

 nest of the AV^ater Ouzel was found in a steep projecting bank (over 

 a rivulet) clothed with moss. The nest was so well adapted in color 

 to the surrounding materials, that nothing but one of the old birds 

 flying in with a fish in its bill could have led to the discovery. The 

 young-ones were nearly feathered, bat incapable of flight; and the 

 moment the nest was disturbed they fluttered out and dropped into 

 the water, and, to the astonishment of the persons present, instantly 

 vanished ; but in a little time they re-appeared at some distance down 

 the stream, and it was with difficulty that two out of the live were 

 taken. 



The "Water Ouzel will sometimes pick up insects at the edge of the 

 water. When disturbed, it usually flirts up its tail, and makes a 

 chirping noise. Its song in spring is said to be very pretty. In 

 some places this bird is supposed to be migratory. The ear is startled 

 by the sonorous song of this singular bird as it mingles with the hoarse 

 tones of the torrent, or the rushing of the wintry Avaterfall, sometimes 

 when tliere is a storm of snow. Mr. Rennie remarks : " It is one of the 

 few birds that are vocal so early in the year as the months of January 

 and February; I have lieard it when the thermometer was 20° sing 

 incessantly, not only elegantly but powerfully with much variety in the 

 notes. 



THE RING OUZEL. 



This bird is found in various parts of Europe, and is somewhat 

 larger than the common Blackbird. They haunt the wildest and 

 most rocky parts of glens and ravines, and make their nest on some 

 steep bank, under the covert of grass or heath, or on some shelf 

 amidst mosses, which, the outside being made of the same materials, 

 entirely conceal it from view. The upper parts of the body of the 

 male bird is black, the feathers being margined with blackish-grey. 

 On the upper part of the breast is a large crescent-shaped gorget of 

 pure white. Q'he plumage of the female bird is more clouded with 

 grey, and the pectoral gorget is much smaller, and clouded with red 

 diflh-brown and grey. 



