THE BIRDS OF COOKHAM AND THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. 27 
morning, hunting after worms, &c., as the present species, and 
the good he does in this way ought to be allowed to counter- 
balance the small pilferings of fruit which he commits at certain 
seasons of the year. I recorded in the Waturalist a beautiful 
piebald variety of the Blackbird which was shot near White 
Place by my kind friend Mr. Mills, of Cookham, who gave it to 
me. It was preserved for my collection by Mr. Joseph Ford, 
and is still in my possession. 
35. Merula torquata. The Ring-Ouzel. 
In the early part of March, 1867, a very fine male Ring-Ouzel 
was shot by a man at Cookham Dean and preserved for him by 
Mr. Briggs. This is the only occurrence of this bird in the 
neighbourhood that I am personally acquainted with; but my 
friend Mr. Brown, of Cookham Dean, informs me that another 
was shot some years ago near Stoke, which is, I believe, at present 
in his collection. 
Having thus had the pleasure of recording the occurrence of 
all the rightly so-called ‘‘ British”? Thrushes near Cookham, I 
-should like to add a word or two concerning the six species, 
whereby they may be easily distinguished when procured, for I 
have met with some persons who do not know how to distinguish 
between them. I have therefore drawn up the following short 
diagnostic table, after the same manner in which I am working 
out more difficult and elaborate groups of birds. These synoptic 
tables will always be found a very satisfactory help in the study 
of birds :— 
A. Sexes similar. 
a. Crown of head olive-brown, flanks yellowish-white. 
Larger: outer tail-feathers tipped 
WIR WIE 65. ccdienticsic 1. Zurdus viscivorus. 
Smaller: outer tail-feathers uni- 
FOLMM ahs so eases 2. T. musicus. 
6, Blanks’ rufouseiten ss esa cooser 3, ZL thiacus. 
B. Crown of head blue-grey .......2esseves . 4. TZ, pilaris. 
C. Sexes different, crown of head black. 
a, Beneath uniform black ...,...... 5. Merula vulgaris, 
b, With a white pectoral crescent-like 
band tere erenegeeerevecessa Oy MM, torquata. 
