THRUSHES AND THRUSHLIKE BIRDS 



373 



inside be pale blue or while, the outside black. 

 The cages may also be hung out-of-doors when 

 the weather is reasonable ; but it should be 

 shaded from the hot rays of the sun during 

 the summer months. 



The Ring-Ouzel, Tiirdiis lorqiiulus (Linn.), is 



about the size of a Blackbird and of similar 



shape and buQd, generai colour 



„ . ^ _ , above sootv-black with a faint 

 Ring=OureI. ,.,.,,.• . ,, . ,, 



whitish fringe to the feathers. 



The medium and greater wing-coverts, primary 

 coverts, and primary quills brownish-black, 

 the narrow fringes of the outer web of 

 an ashy shade. Tail feathers blackish-brown 

 with a slight fringe of white at the lips, the 

 under surface of the body sooty-black, feathers 

 fringed with white, a distinct patch of greyish 

 white forming in crescent shape across the 

 breast like a breast-plate, bill yellow, feet and 

 daws dark brown. The hens are a lighter 

 shade than the cocks, with more brown in their 

 general shading. 



The Ring-Ouzel is a migratory bird, but, 

 unlike the Redwing and Fieldfare, visits these 

 islands in exactly contrary seasons, that is, it 

 is a summer migrant, arriving in the month of 

 April, and departing in October. It is a very 

 shy, wild bird, preferring mountainous or open 

 moorland, only approaching enclosed land 

 when the fruit is ripe. It is fairly common in 

 Scotland, and the West and Xortli of England 

 where heather abounds. In its habits it some- 

 what resembles the Blackbird, and has the 

 same trick of elevating its tail when it perches 

 or alights on the ground, and is in consequence 

 in some districts designated the " Mountain 

 Blackbird." Its food also is simUar, and it 

 may be treated much the same when kept in 

 confinement, not forgetting to supply it freely 

 with elderberries, of which fruit it is very fond. 

 In winter, soak a few dried elderberries or 

 grocer's currants, draining off all the surplus 

 water, and mix with its ordinary food. It is 

 also fond of most kinds of wild berries, including 

 the mountain ash and holly. Though it has 

 not much song, and its note is somewhat 

 harsher than the Blackbird and Thrush, it is a 

 handsome bird, and keeps in good health and 

 condition in captivity if fed as we advise 

 and allowed a cage similar in size and shape 

 to that for the IMissel Thrush. Hand-reared 

 birds are best for exhil)itioii, and they are as 

 easy to hand-rear as any other of the tribe on 

 the same food as for Song Thrushes. Ihey 

 should also be allowed free use of the bath. 

 The exhibition properties of the Ring-Ouzel 

 are good size and shape, well-blended colours, 

 crescent on breast well defined, the clearer the 

 better, steadiness, perfect plumage, feet and 



toes giving the tiiial iiuporlant touch. The 

 show-cage recommended for the Blackbird 

 answers equally for this bird. 



The Piobin, Eritliacus rubcriila (Macr/.). is in 

 lengtli about of inches, the bill is dark brown ; 



the head, neck, back, tail-coverts. 

 The 



„ . . and tail are of a yellowish olive- 



Robin. , „ ^ •'. 



brown ; the greater wing-coverts are 



edged with buff; over the base of the bill, 

 round the eyes, and covering the chin, throat, 

 and upper part of the breast is an orange-red, 

 bordered with bluish-grey down to the wings ; 

 the lower part of the breast, and the abdomen, 

 are dull white. The female differs but slightly 

 from her mate ; most authorities give it that 

 she is smaller and her plumage not so brightly 

 coloured, which difference is discernible when 

 the two sexes are side by side. The sex, how- 

 ever, is very difficult to distinguish apart. It 

 is a resident in every part of the British Isles, 

 though considerable migration takes place, 

 large numbers of our birds leaving this country 

 in the autumn, and many arriving here from 

 tlie Continent. This migration may to an 

 extent be influenced by the old birds driving 

 the young off from their quarters as soon as 

 they can well do for themselves. For the 

 Robin in his ways is most pugnacious, lording 

 it on his own domain, and repelling all intruders 

 thereon, including his own grown-up family. 



Robins take a liking to a certain locality, and 

 will return to it every winter, until spring-time 

 tempts them once more to the woods and 

 fields. They live separately until the pairing 

 season, when they seem most devoted partners. 

 The cock generally selects a post or topmost 

 branch of a tree, or the end of a wall, in fact 

 any prominent projection, whence he trolls out 

 his carol, which is first introduced by a sharp 

 " tsit, tsit," accompanied by a ludicrous bowing 

 and up-and-down motion with his tail. His 

 song is very telling, especially in the winter- 

 time, being necessarily more conspicuous then 

 in consequence of the absence of any rivalry 

 from the rest of the feathered tribe. The notes 

 are sweet and varied, consisting of disconnected 

 passages of considerable beauty, and these 

 plaintive warblings he will continue for up- 

 wards of half an hour. In the summer his 

 voice is often lost in the general chorus arouna 

 him. Cold and snow have no terrors for him 

 so long as his food supply is not cut short, in 

 which case hunger will soon bring him begging 

 at the window-pane. 



The Robin is undoubtedly the most popular 

 of all the feathered tribe. In our earliest 

 childhood he is closely associated with many 

 of those nursery rhymes which strike so deeply 

 into the childish mind as to be never thoroughly 



