RING OUZEL. 17 



two in my collection are heavily marked with a zone of blotches 

 at the broad end, the remainder of the shell being almost 

 without spots. 



The records relating to pied Blackbirds are very numerous, 

 this species being more subject to variation of plumage than 

 almost any other British bird except the House-sparrow. 

 Marmaduke Tunstall of Wycliffe, in the North Riding, writing 

 in 1783, remarked : " Have had many pied Blackbirds, which 

 seemed healthy, stout birds, and sung lavishly ; had once 

 one quite white, but always appeared sickly and cramped, 

 and lived not long ; have it now set up." Albinos are reported 

 at Sedbergh in 1900, and at Harrogate on 2nd June 1890 ; 

 white examples at York in October 1882, and at Pateley on 

 2nd October 1886 ; a perfectly white specimen was seen 

 at large at Harewood, near Leeds, in November 1885 ; while 

 one observed on Strensall Common, near York, in April 1880, 

 had a creamy white head, which was sharply defined from the 

 remaining black plumage ; and lastly, I examined a peculiar 

 cinnamon-coloured bird, caught near Yarm on 6th January 

 1903. 



Local names : Ouzell or Ouizle (West Riding) ; Black 

 Ouzel (Craven) ; Black Uzzle (Cleveland) ; Blackie (general 

 among schoolboys). 



There is a saying among Cleveland folk that " Cleveland 

 Blackies are the best in Yorkshire." 



RING OUZEL. 

 Turdus torquatus {£.). 



Summer visitant, locally distributed ; also a transient visitant 

 in spring and autumn. 



Historically speaking, the earliest reference to this species 

 was made by the erudite Martin Lister of York, who wrote 



VOL. I. c 



