white on its tail. The redwing, like the fieldfare, is gregarious. 
This is an important point to bear in mind ; since it might other- 
wise be confused, by the novice, with the song-thrush, the two 
being about the same size. But seen at rest, close quarters, there 
can be no mistake; the redwing having a conspicuous cream- 
coloured eye-stripe, and chestnut-red flank-feathers. The under- 
wing is similarly coloured. Finally there is the ring-ousel, which, 
haunts the moorlands and rocky ravines. But it may be 
recognized at once by its conspicuous white gorget, contrasted 
with its otherwise black plumage. 
Of the forty species of British warblers there is not one 
which the most expert of our Ornithologists would venture to 
identify by the character of the flight alone. Most of these 
species, of course, are rare and accidental visitors ; many need an 
expert to distinguish them, since they represent but Continental 
Races of our own summer visitors. About ten species can be 
called common, or fairly common, in suitable localities, and the 
novice must not expect to recognize even these with anything 
like certainty. They have no characteristic flight, and they 
rarely do more than “ flit” from one place to another. In the 
pages of this book, then, they can rightly have no place. But 
some may, perhaps, be glad of a few notes concerning one or two 
of the commoner species. The black-cap, for example, may be 
readily distinguished by its grey plumage contrasting with a 
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