1 6 RING-OUZEL. 



nest sparingly in the south of Holland and Belgium. This form is 

 found on migration over the whole of Europe, going down to North 

 Africa and Egypt, Syria and Persia. In, and south of the mountains 

 of Central Europe, the birds which breed have more or less white 

 centres (as well as edges) to the feathers of the breast and under tail- 

 coverts, and their appearance is decidedly spangled ; but inter- 

 mediate forms are frequent. This race also migrates southward to 

 some extent, and it makes its nest in fir-trees ; it has been named 

 T. alpestris by C. L. Brehm. 



On our moors the Ring-Ouzel begins to breed in the latter part of 

 April, making its nest, similar to that of a Blackbird, in tall ling 

 and heather, on the ledges of rocks, or in broken banks ; sometimes 

 at a moderate distance underneath fallen rocks ; while the sides of 

 streams or watercourses are favourite localities ; and occasionally 

 stunted bushes are selected. The 4, seldom 5, eggs are greenish-blue, 

 flecked and spotted with reddish brown ; bolder and handsomer as 

 a rule than those of the Blackbird, and more like those of the P'ield- 

 fare : average measurements I'l by "85 in. Not unfrequently a 

 second brood is produced in July. Few birds are bolder when their 

 young are approached, the parents flying round the intruder, uttering 

 their sharp alarm note of iac-tac-tac, tac-tac-iac ; but the song is some- 

 what monotonous, and derives its principal charm from the scenery 

 in which it is heard. The food consists of worms, slugs, and 

 insects ; the bird being also partial to moorland berries and 

 those of the rowan or mountain-ash. The Ring-Ouzel frequently 

 descends to gardens in the vicinity of its haunts, and is extremely 

 bold in its attacks upon fruit : while in the vine-countries it feeds 

 largely on grapes. 



The adult male has the upper parts brownish-black, the outer 

 margins of the wing-feathers grey ; under parts blackish, except a 

 broad white gorget ; under wing and axillaries mottled with grey 

 and white ; bill black at the tip, the rest yellowish ; legs and feet 

 brownish black. Length 10 in. ; wing 5*5 in. The adult female is 

 lighter and browner, with a narrower and duller gorget, which is 

 scarcely perceptible in young females. A cock, little more than a 

 nestling, in the British Museum, shot in Nairnshire on ist September, 

 is blacker than any adult. In autumn both sexes have the feathers 

 conspicuously margined with grey. 



