THE BIRDS OF CUMBERLAND. 3 



gregarious during the winter as in its breeding 

 quarters. Stragglers, and occasionally large flocks, 

 linger into the second week of May before departing 

 northward. 



T. Merula. Blackbird, 



The Blackbird is a common and increasing 

 resident, nesting later in mountainous situations 

 than in cultivated districts. In April, 1883, a fe- 

 male Blackbird chose a curious site for her nest, in 

 a water-spout above the porch of a private house at 

 Carlisle, the male bird frequently singing upon the 

 gables. Unfortunately, when a heavy shower came, 

 the nest was flooded, and the esfsfs were chilled. 

 The female at once re-commenced to build, but 

 chose a more normal situation. We have often 

 found the nest in the interior of cattle-sheds. 



T. Torquaius. Ring Ouzel. 



The Ring Ouzel is a local summer visitant, 

 breeding in many elevated districts, especially on 

 the Pennine range, and at rare intervals on lower 

 grounds. A few pairs annually nest on the face of 

 the broken precipices immediately south of the town 

 of Whitehaven. 



A variety of situations are selected as the 

 nesting site. 



We examined one nest in an old pit level, and 

 have seen others placed in nearly the same situation 

 as that of the Dipper, upon a face of rock over- 

 hanging a little pool on a fell " beck." It often 

 happens that these birds frequent a few stunted 

 whin bushes on the bare fellside, in which case it is 



