TUEDUS TORQUATUS ALPESTEIS 13 



p. 192) mentions having met with the species on the Djebel-Arib, and 

 near Boghar at different times of the year, but the birds met with are 

 more likely to have been examples of the southern or Alpine form of 

 the Eing-Ouzel, and not of the typical T. torquatus. Loche, more- 

 over, speaks of the song of the species as being " dur, et pen agreable," 

 which terms are more applicable to the song of the former than to 

 that of the latter. 



In Marocco, as in Algeria and Tunisia, the Eing-Ouzel is to be 

 found in the more mountainous districts in winter. 



In Tunisia the species is far from common, and seems to be very 

 local in its distribution, but, as in the case of some of the other 

 Thrushes, it may occur more plentifully in some years than in others. 

 The only example I have of this form in my collection was obtained 

 in the neighbourhood of Sousa on the east coast of the Eegency, 

 where, however, according to information gathered on the spot, the 

 species is but rarely seen. On the higher mountains further inland it 

 is said to be more often observed. 



The food of the Eing-Ouzel appears to consist of insects, worms, 

 and snails, as well as berries of various kinds in their season. The 

 bird is generally admitted to be a good songster, although opinions 

 seem to differ somewhat as to its notes being soft or powerful. Its 

 call-note is a sharp " tack," repeated several times. 



TURDUS TORQUATUS ALPESTRIS (C. L. Brebm). 

 ALPINE RING-OUZEL. 



Merula alpestris, C. L. Brehm, his, 1828, p. 1281. 



Tardus alpestris, Stejncger, Proc. U.i>. Nat. Mus. 1886, p. 365. 



Merula torquata alpestris, Seebohm, IbU, 1888, p. 310. 



Description. — Adult, wiuter, from Tunis, North Tunisia. 



Above brownish-blacl< ; wings lighter, and upper wing-coverts fringed 

 with white; throat and upper breast brownish- black, with a broad soiled 

 white pectoral band ; lower breast brownish- black, the feathers fringed with 

 white ; abdomen and rest of underparts brownish-black, the feathers fringed 

 with white, and most of them having white centres, those of the under tail- 

 coverts having very pronounced and elongate white median spots running 

 along each side of the shafts, which are also white. 



