KING OUZEL. 85 



part, in small numbers, passing northward in spring 

 and southward in autumn, appearing generally in 

 April and October. The Ring Ouzel has been known 

 occasionally to nest in this county, and although 

 probably overlooked from its general resemblance to 

 the common blackbird and the similarity in the eggs 

 of the two species, it is not improbable that a few 

 pairs may do so nearly every year in favourable 

 districts, and I have reason to believe that such is the 

 case at Holkham. Mr. Spalding, of Westleton, who 

 has paid much attention to their habits in Suffolk, 

 assures me that he has himself taken several nests 

 and eggs in his neighbourhood, where they remain till 

 late in May should the winds be contrary, and then 

 frequently nest and lay; but he has never known 

 the young to be hatched, as the old birds appear to 

 leave at once with the first favourable wind, for more 

 northern localities. They build on the stubs in low 

 damp cars, both at Westleton and Yoxford, where the 

 birds have been watched, and would appear to remain 

 in all cases at no great distance from the coast. About 

 thirty years ago a nest of this species, with the old 

 bird sitting upon it, was found by Mr. Rising in his 

 garden at Horsey, and the same gentleman has kindly 

 supplied me with the following observations on their 

 annual appearance in that locality. He says, "We 

 generally see several of them every year in the early 

 spring; and in May, 1857, I watched four of them, 

 morning after morning, on the grass in front of my 

 window, and as constantly did an old missel-thrush 

 descend from an oak hard by where she had a nest, and 

 attack first one and then another until she drove them 

 fairly away. I fear these incessant attacks forced 

 them to some other locality, as on a sudden they were 

 gone, otherwise I felt a strong conviction that they 

 would have remained to breed." In 1856, ring ouzels 



