56 Among the Birds in Northern Shires. 



the Blackbird the song is all too short, and even 

 lacks the redeeming feature of continuous flute-like 

 melody, short as it is, that saves the Blackbird's from 

 being classed as commonplace. To our mind, the 

 Ring-ouzel always increased in interest during the 

 breeding season. Many scores of nests of this bird 

 have we kept under observation, not a few of them 

 from the time the first twig was laid until the four 

 or five 'nestlings left them for ever. The birds are 

 much attached to certain spots, and return to nest 

 in them with wonderful pertinacity. Then, again, 

 how often have we remarked their absurd attach- 

 ment to a nest in the course of building. We have 

 known Ring-cuzels show more concern for a hand- 

 ful of nest material by no means a finished nest 

 than scores of other species display over the absolute 

 loss of a nest and eggs. The Ring-ouzel is the 

 Stormcock of the moor ready to do battle with 

 much noisy clamour the moment its nest is ap- 

 proached. This nest is not always made amongst 

 the ling and heather; numbers are placed in low 

 bushes on the outskirts of the moor, and on the 

 banks of the streams and by the sides of the roughly- 

 formed cart-tracks, especially where the banks are 

 steep. In early autumn Ring-ouzels again become 

 more or less social and gregarious; they then begin 

 to wander off the moors to the nearest fruit gardens, 

 and so gradually work south in parties and flocks. 



