BIRDS. 95 



Mr. Monteith-Ogilvy informs us that he saw two pairs of 

 Blackbirds about the garden of Holland House, Papa Westray, 

 in the summer of 1889, but only one male in the winter. 



Turdus torquatus, L Ring-Ouzel. 



The Eing-Ouzel, since and during Baikie and Heddle's time, 

 appears to have been a regular spring and autumn migrant, 

 though by no means a common bird. 



It seems to have bred in Hoy for the first time in 1847, and 

 since then there has been a pair or two most seasons there, 

 either in Berriedale or Segal. 



According to Mr. Harvey, it is seen in Sanday during the 

 month of April in pairs; but in N. Eonaldsay it is or was 

 rare, as Dr. Traill of Woodwick, writing from that island, said 

 that on May 6th, 1885, he observed a fine specimen of the Eing- 

 Ouzel, which lingered in his neighbourhood for a few days, and 

 then disappeared, and that this was the first specimen he had 

 seen there. 



Professor J. W. H. Traill of Aberdeen University saw a Eing- 

 Ouzel in Lyradale, Harray, about 1865. 



In Eousay, Buckley observed a pair in April 1883, but they 

 did not stay to breed. 



In 1888 Mr. Scarth told Buckley that he and his grieve saw 

 a blackbird with a white ring round its neck in May of that 

 year, at Binscarth. 



Eing-Ouzels occur regularly, though not perhaps very 

 abundantly, on spring migration at the Pentland Skerries. Mr. 

 Gilmour has sent us several notices of their occurrence there 

 at that time. 



In an article in the Scottish Naturalist for October 1888, 

 p. 344, Professor Traill of Aberdeen University criticises the 

 statement in Howard Saunders' Manual of British Birds, " except 

 the Orkneys and Shetlands, to which it (ie. the Eing-Ouzel) is 

 a comparatively rare visitor," thus : 



" In former years I was well acquainted with the birds of 

 Orkney, more especially so with those of the parish of Harray 

 on the Mainland (or Pomona ... of geographers, but not of 

 Orcadians). This parish is separated from the sea by hills 



