BIRDS OF THE MOORLAND 331 



seen springing from the tangled herbage ahiiost at 

 one's feet. It flies for a Httle way and then ahghts 

 abruptly on a flat rock, moving restlessly to and 

 fro, uttering its quick alarm note — -" tac-tac-tac, 

 tac-tac-tac, " many times repeated. As one stoops to 

 examine the recesses, it flies nearer, sometimes 

 within a few feet, still protesting in rapid querulous 

 cries. jMoving the bracken aside, we come upon 

 the nest on a low rocky ledge overgrown by 

 heather, the eggs still warm from the contact with 

 the bird's breast. 



The Ring Ouzel is a migratory thrush, but, 

 differing from the Fieldfare and Redwing, it visits 

 England only in summer. There appear to be 

 two forms of this species — a darker and a lighter — 

 the darker, of which the British bird is a type, in- 

 habiting the more northerly regions. In its habitat 

 the Ring Ouzel dift'ers from all the other thrushes. 

 In place of orchards, fields and woodlands it fre- 

 quents wild and uncultivated tracts, especially the 

 moorlands, and here its low piping note may be 

 heard as it rests upon some grey rock or heather- 

 clad brae. The nest is usually placed upon some 

 bank or ledge on the rocks sheltered by tall-grow- 

 ing bracken or heather, or in the recesses of the 

 lower crags. The photograph may he taken as a 

 typical Yorkshire nesting site. 



Except on migration the Ring Ouzel is not gre- 

 garious, and it is unusual for many to be seen 

 together in one locality. It is not a branch-loving 

 bird, preferring a rock or ling-covered summit for 

 a perching place, rarely, in my experience, ascend- 

 ing to the higher trees. Indeed, a Ring Ouzel 



