RING-OUZEL. 9 



down the hills as the Blackbird, and with an occasional 

 Mistle-Thrush (here nesting on the hill- walls), is the only 

 one of its genus that breeds at any altitude. In the 

 Furness district Mr. W. A. Durnford says ("Birds of 

 Walney," 1883) that it nests amongst the hills of the 

 mainland, but is not common, and Mr. John Watson 

 also thinks it is getting rarer, though often met with in 

 the end of March, on the lower lands, before it flies to 

 its breeding-haunts on the fells. The nest — usually 

 well concealed — is very like that of a Blackbird in con- 

 struction, though rather shallower, and is placed under 

 furze-bushes, among heather near turf pits, or in a 

 cavity of an old wall or rocky bank, near a stream if 

 possible. The eggs are laid from the beginning of April 

 to the beginning of June, and are almost invariably 

 four in number. In its habits the King-Ouzel is very 

 wild and shy. 



GENUS SAXICOLA. 



WHEATEAE. 



Saxicola (enanthe (Linnaeus). 



Local Names — WJdte rum}), Wldt-taU, Wall-tack, Wall- 

 check, Stone-check, Stone-smack, Stone-smatch, Clod- 

 hopper. 



A regular summer visitor, though local in its dis- 

 tribution. The first arrivals appear about the last week 

 in March, the main body in April, and the middle or end 

 of September is the average time of departure. The 

 Wlieatear is found breeding on the whole range of coast 

 sand-hills from Liverpool northwards, but elsewhere is 

 most common on the moors and fells, not frequenting 



