38 MERULINJE. 



occurrence of cream-coloured and white-marked varieties are 

 nothing unusual, although we have the testimony of Pliny 

 in recording specimens exhibited at Home, under the appel- 

 lation of lt white blackbirds." 

 Indigenous. 



SPECIES 35 THE RING OUSEL. 



Turdus torquatus. Linn. 

 Merle a plastron. Temm. 



Cowboy. Mountain Stare. Whistler. 



THIS distinctive and handsomely marked species occurs in 

 smaller numbers than any of our other migratory thrushes, and 

 differs from them in being a summer visitant to our shores, 

 which it frequents for the purposes of nidification. Possessing 

 the same elongated and elegant form which distinguishes the 

 blackbird, we might name the ring ousel the white -breasted 

 blackbird. 



Frequenting localities where it is seldom disturbed on ac- 

 count of the solitude which it delights in, we only find the 

 ring ousel occupying the more extended mountain ranges of 

 our island. Distributed in limited numbers in those locali- 

 ties, it is a species but little known ; and when occurring dur- 

 ing autumn in the cultivated districts which it then frequents 

 on its homeward passage, it is generally procured for its 

 strange appearance. However, the ring ousel is a well-known 

 species to those persons whose pleasure or occupation leads 

 them to the mountains during summer. Perched on some 

 elevated crag, he utters his loud, deep song, which, although 

 composed of few notes, has a pleasing, and generally a melan- 

 choly, tendency. Occasionally, after singing, he utters that 

 loud, clear whistle which has obtained him the complimen- 

 tary appellation of u cowboy" and u whistler," by which 

 names it is well known upon the Wicklow mountains. 



During September the ring ousel is often observed at 

 Howth and Lambay, but rarely on the main shore. Some- 

 times we observe the adults and young together, the pure 

 white gorget of the old male looking beautifully conspicuous. 

 Rarely molested in its retired breeding haunts, we had, on 

 one occasion, the pleasure of discovering in the heath, near a 

 river side, on the Dublin mountains, a nest containing four 

 eggs. 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



