THE RING-OUZEL. 151 



of Clare. Its presence is generally announced to us by its chatter 

 at some distance excited by our approach; but, restless as a black- 

 bird, the ring-ouzel flits from rock to rock, often leaving the eye 

 wandering long ere it can fix upon the sought-for object. It 

 breeds about the mountains of Dublin and Wieklow, * and 

 is stated to appear there in flocks in spring and autumn ;t at 

 the latter season, to eat the berries of the mountain ash (Pynts 

 aucuparia). It is said to frequent the hills about Portumna, on 

 the western border of Galway; and Mr. M'Calla, states that 

 a few breed in the least frequented parts of the mountains of 

 Connemara, where he has often searched in vain for their nests, 

 though satisfied that they were near : — on leaving their supposed 

 vicinity the old birds followed him to a considerable distance, 

 uttering their mournful notes. They are plentiful in the autumn 

 evidently from migration, although never seen in flocks in 

 spring, and are called round-berry birds in that district, from 

 the circumstance of their feeding on the berries of the rowan or 

 mountain ash. Eing-ouzels frequent the mountain tops — Sliev- 

 na-mon, &c, — about Clonmel (Tipperary), where the country 

 people call them cow-boy s,% and a few have been met with in sum- 

 mer among the Comeragh mountains, county of Waterford.§ 

 This species is mentioned in the Fauna of Cork as a summer 

 visitant to the mountainous districts; and is common at that 

 season in the most rocky parts of the mountains of Kerry, within 

 a few miles of the sea-coast, in the same haunts with choughs 

 and eagles. || 



More than a family of these birds together have not come under 

 my own observation in the north-east of this island, but they have 

 been reported to me as once seen in considerable numbers in 

 autumn on Sleive Donard, and the bleak mountain above Sea-Forde 



* Mr. R. Ball. 



•f* In White's " Natural History of Selborne," this species is mentioned as merely 

 visiting that locality in spring and autumn, when on its way to the north and south. 

 According to his observation during three springs and two autumns, it is most punc- 

 tual in its appearance. It has been noticed as visiting Devonshire and Cornwall in 

 a similar manner. 



% Mr. Davis. § Mr. Poole. || Mr. T. F. Neligan. 



