8 THE BIKDS OF DEVON. 



occupied by a pair of these lively birds, which become clamorous on the 

 appearance of a stranger, and will chatter at him, from a safe distance, 

 their angry complaint. In the furze or heather on the side of these 

 " cleaves " the nest is placed ; often near to the tiny stream running 

 down the bottom and never very far from the ground. The birds will 

 frequently display their suspicion by accompanying the invader of their 

 solitude some little distance, flying on in front of him, and settling for an 

 instant on some stone or heather tump, from which they will scold at 

 him, and then flit on to another station. "We have seen liing-Ouzels in 

 the summer-time venturing as low down as the gardens in Lynmouth. 

 A few pairs frequent the Yallcy of llocks, near Lynton. Eing-Ouzels 

 are pretty numerous in the rocky ravines of Exmoor, and in the wild 

 country near Diilvcrton, and also visit Lundy Island. 



During the seasons of migration stragglers are occasionally seen in cultivated and 

 ■vTooded districts. The Ring-Ouzel frequently occurs at Plymouth in April and 

 October (B., MS. Notes), and has also been observed at Kingsbridge (R. P. N.), 

 Morchard Bishop (C. Ham), Silverton, Alphington near Exeter, Exmouth (0. S., 

 Zool. 1S74, p. 3831), and at Rousdon, near Axmoutli. 



A beautiful albino specimen was shot by Mr. F. R. Wolfe at Leighon Tor, in the 

 parish of Manaton, October 9th, 1890, and is now in the Torquay Museum (W. E., 

 and Geo. A. Musgrave, Zool. 1891, p. 116). 



The ancient family of Oxenhara, residing near South Tawton, on the 

 northern borders of the forest, used always, so runs tradition, to be 

 visited by a fatal bird " witli a white crest," which, seen by one of its 

 members, foretold his speedy death. It is said that a marble monumental 

 stone, existing in 1632, had the following inscription : — " Here lies John 

 Oxenham, a goodly young man, in whose chamber, as he was struggling 

 with the pangs of death, a bird with a white crest was seen fluttering 

 about his bed, and so vanished." Several others of the family are cur- 

 rently reported to have been visited when dying by a similar apparition. 

 In the iirst chapter of 'Westward Ho !' we are told how Mr. Oxenham 

 saw the white bird. Now it is not unlikely that one day a Iling-Ouzel 

 flew into a sick chamber in the house, which was close to the moor ; its 

 white " crest " was a confused recollection of its white collar, and the 

 superstition of those who saw it at a time of sickness regarded it as a 

 tod-vtigel, or harbinger of death. 



THE CHATS. 



The Wheatear, with the Chats, the Redstarts, the 

 familiar Redbreast, and the tuneful Nightingale, most of 

 them well-known birds, are all included with the Thrushes 

 in the Subfamily Turdinee, because, like them, their young 

 have spotted plumage, and are unlike their parents. It 

 is curious that of our two Redstarts one should be a 



