56 OUR MIGRANT BIRDS 



Haunts. — Waste lands, &c., usually near the sea. 



Plumage. — Head, neck, part of the wings, and under 

 parts white ; upper parts black. Bill and legs black. 

 Length 6| in. Female : head and upper parts mottled 

 with dull black, and otherwise duller ; winter plumage, 

 upper parts edged with chestnut ; bill yellow, tipped 

 with black. Young, greyish brown, and darker above 

 and below. 



Language. — Song, a low melodious warble, uttered 

 either when perched or fluttering in the air like a Tree 

 Pipit. Call-note, " tsee." Alarm-note, " tweek." 



Habits. — Flight vacillating. It feeds principally on 

 the ground, where it runs quickly or hops. 



Food. — Insects, seeds, and grain. 



Nest. — June or July. One brood. 



Site. — In clefts in rocks, amongst a heap of stones, &c. 



Materials. — Dry grass, roots, and moss, lined with 

 hair, wool, and feathers. 



Eggs. — Four to six. Greyish white, spotted and 

 blotched with reddish brown and purplish black. 



RING OUZEL {Turdus torquatus). 



April to Autiunn. Local, though abundant in the 

 North. Breeds in West, and in suitable localities 

 in the Midlands, east and south. 



Haunts. — Moorland and moimtainous districts. 



Observation. — Distinguished at once from Blackbird 

 by white throat band. 



Plumage. — Generally sooty, with greyish white edgings 

 to the feathers. There is no complete ring ; it is a 

 broad white crescentic-shaped gorget. Bill yellowish 



