54 Aviong the Birds in Northern Shires. 



spring migrant to the British Islands, and the only 

 migratory Thrush that comes to that area to rear its 

 young. Like some other northern migrants, its passage 

 is by no means a slow one. It arrives in South Devon 

 sometimes as early as the end of March, more usually 

 the beginning of April, and what is rather remark- 

 able, this date is practically coincident with its arrival 

 in South Yorkshire. For many years we paid special 

 attention to the migrational movements of this bird, 

 and should give its date of arrival as the first week 

 in April in that district. This seems to indicate 

 beyond question that Ring-ouzels migrate direct to 

 their breeding areas after landing on our southern 

 coasts. They journey in flocks, often of considerable 

 size, and several seasons we were fortunate enough to 

 observe them in companies numbering several hun- 

 dreds of birds, on the very day of their appearance 

 in the Rivelin Valley. These flocks soon disband; 

 in a day or so they break up, and the birds scatter 

 themselves in pairs over all the suitable breeding- 

 places. The cock bird is not only a handsome one, 

 but very distinctively marked, easily recognized as 

 far as the eye can reach by his pure white gorget; 

 otherwise he very closely resembles the Blackbird in 

 general appearance. The resemblance does not end 

 here, though, and in its habits and movements gener- 

 ally, as w^ell as in the nest and eggs, we have an equal 

 similarity. 



