RINGED THRUSH. 103 



the craggy slopes of the lofty and singularly peaked masses of 

 the Cullin Mountains, among the scattered tufts of heath, they 

 seemed to be flying about in search of food, of which one might 

 imagine they could find but little in such a place. But on the 

 green sward of the Pentlands, where the mole is found nearly to 

 the summits, the Ring Ouzel, besides insects, can readily pro- 

 cure a plentiful supply of earth-worms, for which I have seen 

 it looking out in the manner described under the habits of the 

 preceding species ; like which it hops about with great celerity, 

 stands with drooping wings and slightly elevated tail, and digs 

 up its prey with great vigour. It feeds also on insects, testa- 

 ceous mollusca, and berries of different kinds. The stomach 

 of one which I examined on the 2d October 1 837, was filled 

 with berries of the Rowan, Pyrus aucuparia. In the statisti- 

 cal account of the Parish of Galashiels in Selkirkshire, the Rev. 

 Nathaniel Paterson states that " the Moor Blackbird, too, has 

 of late years become a most troublesome spoiler of the garden. 

 It is nearly of the same size as the singing Blackbird, but 

 dingy and tuneless, — a daring thief that comes before the win- 

 dows and carries oif a plum nearly as large as itself, shewing 

 by its chatter more of anger than fear when it is disturbed in 

 the work of depredation. Currants, gooseberries, cherries, 

 plums, and the finest wall-fruits are its prey.*" 



Its flight is strong and direct, or with very little undula- 

 tion. When pursued, it generally flies at once to a considerable 

 distance, and it is only when you come near its nest or young, 

 that it ventures within shooting distance. Like the Sonsr 

 Thrush, it conceals itself among the bushes, but is much more 

 easily put to flight. When alarmed, it utters a repetition of 

 strong clear notes, like those of the Blackbird, but louder ; 

 and its song consists of a few simple, loud and mellow notes. 



The nest, according to a person who informs me that he has 

 several times found it, is placed under the shelter of a furze 

 or juniper bush, or on the face of a rough bank, or among 

 fragments of rock. It is composed of coarse grass, plastered 

 internally with mud, and lined with finer grass. The eggs, 

 from four to six, are regularly oval, pale bluish-green, freckled 

 all over with pale brown. The young fully fledged I have 

 had from the Pentland Hills on the 7th of June. 



