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OUR SUMMER VISITORS. 

 Part III. 



By TOM DUCKWORTH. 

 (Read at Carlisle. ) 



In my previous papers on our Summer Visitors, I alluded more 

 particularly to the different Warblers; but now I must confine 

 myself to those who are not remarkable for their songs, but more 

 for their peculiar characteristics. The first of these is 



The Ring Ouzel, Turdus torquatus, 



which frequents the mountainous parts of temperate Europe. In 

 this district it is fairly plentiful all along the Pennine range, 

 although they have slightly decreased in the Ullswater district; 

 but according to the observations of others, and also my own, they 

 have increased on the eastern fells during these latter years. It 

 arrives early as a rule, as I have known it to be in the Croglin 

 district in the end of March : but the first week in April is the 

 average time. It has many local names, but here it is known as 

 the "Fell Throstle" and the "Mountain Blackbird." I once saw 

 a good number of these birds in the neighbourhood of Durdar, 

 very early in the season, feeding on the ivy berries ; but the next 

 day not one was to be seen — they were all off to their breeding 

 places. The name Ring Ouzel, as given to this bird, is quite a 

 misnomer, as in fact it has no ring round its neck at all — simply 

 a white crescentic mark a little below its throat. In spring they 



