THE BIRDS OF DEVONSHIRE. 5 



nest is approached, of alighting on a rock or stone 

 near or hopping along the ground with drooping 

 wings and elevated tail, at the same time uttering 

 the quickly repeated ' chuck, chuck, chuck,' of alarm " 

 (Zool. 1872. p. ;3009). Mr. Mitchell writes that the 

 Rini>- Ouzel arrives at the end of March and durin"- 

 the first days of April, on Dartmoor ; nesting in 

 rocks on the top of the Tors, in the steep hanks of 

 streams, and in old quarries. It feeds on Whortle 

 berries. In September the Ring Ouzels resort to 

 the valleys bordering on the moor, where they 

 subsist partially on Blackberries They leave in 

 October, when stragglers may be met with on the 

 tops of the sea cliffs ; this species occasionally 

 prolongs its stay with us into the middle of winter. 



WHEATBAR.— 6'r/^iVo/f^ (Rivnithe, (Linn). 



A NUMEROUS summer migrant, a few birds appearing 

 early in March, before the great flocks arrive. Mr. 

 Gatcombe examined specimens shot near Plymouth, 

 on the otli of March, and once saw a single bird on 

 Dartmoor on the Gth of that month. The majority 

 of immigrants pass through on their vernal passage, 

 after resting a day or two on the coast ; returning 

 in autumn in increased numbers, and occurring at 

 both seasons at the lighthouses. Mr. Gatcombe was 

 shown a AYheatear which had alighted on a fishing 

 Ijoat five miles from land in an exhausted state on 

 April 2nd, its two companions being seen to fall 

 into the sea. A good many Wheatears take up 



