RING OUZEL. 43 



RING OUZEL. 



Turdus torquatus ; Merle a plastron ; Ring Drossel. 



Ring Thrush ; Mountain Blackbird ; Mountain Stare ; 

 Cowboy ; Whistler. 



Bill, notched, dusky ; plumage, brownish-black ; pure 

 white crescent on the breast, with horns pointing 

 upwards. Length, about eleven inches. 



The Ring Ouzel is the only Thrush that visits our 

 islands to breed and rear its young. It arrives early in 

 April, and remains until the beginning of October. For 

 a short time after their arrival, and again before their 

 departure, large flocks of Ring Ouzels may be seen ; 

 and in autumn, when they descend to the plains, they 

 are called in some parts of England "Michaelmas Black- 

 birds." I have several times met with the Ring Ouzel 

 on the Three Rock and other of the Dublin Mountains, 

 and Mr. Crofton once brought me, at Christmas, a Ring 

 Ouzel which he had taken near Edmondstown, in the 

 same neighbourhood. Mr. Thompson says that the 

 Ring Ouzel may be seen in most of the mountainous 

 districts of Ireland, on Slieve Donard, the loftiest of the 

 Mourne Mountains, on Carlingford Mountain, at Achill 

 Head, on the famous hill of Slieve-na-man, near Clonmel, 

 on the Comeragh Mountains, and elsewhere. Mr. Ussher 

 says it is only to be found above the 1,000 foot-line in 

 Waterford. 



The song of the Ring Ouzel is said to be the loudest 

 and clearest of all the Thrushes' songs. In some respects 

 it resembles that of the Missel Thrush, and frequently 

 after singing he utters that loud, clear whistle which has 



