THE THRUSHES 



63 



only placed within a few feet of the ground, 

 but also adv'ertised in its whereabouts to every 

 passer-by in consequence of its external adorn- 

 ment of a piece of white paper, calico, lace, 

 or coloured dress material. Only three or four 

 years ago I insured the safety of a family by 

 removing one such impediment from a nest built 

 within five feet of the ground and within double 

 the distance of our carriage drive. One last 

 point of distinction between the nestlings of 

 Song and Missel Thrush : the down, or file 

 plumes, of the latter are retained for a longer 

 time, and are lighter in colour. 



Though the young of the Blackbird are dis- 

 tinctly spotted, and in their first plumage of 

 somewhat lighter ground 

 colour than the adult 

 female, they are not 

 likely, in either sex, or 

 at any age. to be mis- 

 taken for those of any 

 other British bird, un- 

 less it be the Ring 

 Ouzel, a much rarer 

 bird as to its general 

 distribution. It breeds 

 only in mountainous or 

 moorland districts, and 

 occurs but sparingly 

 elsewhere as a pass- 

 ing spring and autumn 



BLACKBIRDS AT NEST. 



In the two lower pictures the male bird is 

 shown feeding the nestlings. 



migrant. At the latter 

 season it is especially 

 partial to elderberries 

 and, as I once noticed, 

 to black currants. As 

 to plumage differences, 

 the possession of a 

 white, crescent-shaped 

 gorget, or throat-band, 

 will generally serve to 

 distinguish Ring Ouzel 

 from Blackbird. The 

 difference in size be- 

 tween the two species 

 is too small to be 

 serviceable ; but, at 

 fairly close quarters, the greyish-white edging to 

 the feathering of the former gives it a dis- 

 tinctively dull appearance compared with the 

 glossy jet-black jacket of the adult male 

 Blackbird, and it also lacks the set-off of the 

 proverbial " orange tawny bill " of the ubiquitous 

 Blackbird, the champion, to my mind, of all 

 British songsters. The barred, or spotted, 

 plumage of the young of both species shows, 

 as the similarity of size and shape suggests, 

 their relationship to the Thrushes. 



With regard to habits, the regularly practised 

 flirting of the tail immediately alter alighting — 

 which, when the evening light begins to fail, 

 serves to distinguish the Blackbird (a very late 

 feeder) from the other Thrushes — will not assist 

 us in recognising him from the Ring Ouzel, which 

 also indulges in the same conceit. As to habitat. 



