THE RING OUZEL 125 



are very like those of the Blackbird — it progresses 

 in a series of halting stages, digs out its food in the 

 same energetic and alert way, and also possesses the 

 very characteristic habit of raising its tail nearly 

 perpendicular when alighting either on the ground 

 or on a rock or a tree. There is also something 

 very Chat-like in the way this species will retreat 

 before you as you advance into its haunts, perching 

 until you come within a certain distance, then flying 

 on again to await your approach, all the time keep- 

 ing up a noisy chattering. Sooner or later, however, 

 the bird will make a detour and return to the spot 

 whence it was first disturbed. The Ring Ouzel is 

 one of the easiest identified of birds — a Blackbird 

 with a crescent-shaped white band across the chest, 

 and with the same noisy and persistent cry of tac- 

 tac-tac heard most frequently if you chance to be 

 near his nest. 



Very soon after their arrival on the moors the 

 cock birds may be heard in song. It is whilst 

 singing that the male Ring Ouzel appears to relax 

 his usual wariness, for certainly he permits a nearer 

 approach then than at any other time, except when 

 defending his nest. There is nothing very brilliant 

 about the song of this species ; one might almost 

 class it as monotonous ; but after all it is very 

 welcome music in such wild country, and the natural 

 surroundings assist in making it attractive. The 

 male bird has the Thrush-like characteristic of 



