THE RING OUSEL. 49 



heath-covered bank of the mountain lake ; on the banks 

 of the roaring current ; or snugly located amongst the 

 purple heather's bushy branches, on the wide-spreading 

 moor — in all these situations the nest of the Ring Ousel 

 may be found artfully concealed, never very high from 

 the ground, and always well and compactly constructed. 

 Early in May is their nesting season, and but one brood is 

 reared in the year. The site chosen, the little builders first 

 make a nest of dried grass, the sides mayhap bound 

 together with a few birchen twigs : they then line this 

 structure with a thick coating of mud, obtained from the 

 nearest water-side or marshy swamp. The nest now is 

 very deep for its breadth, but upon the mud the birds 

 place a large quantity of finer grass, as a lining. The 

 mud hardens, and the whole structure forms a well-made 

 cradle for their little ones. The eggs of the Ring Ousel, 

 four or five in number, so closely resemble those of the 

 Blackbird, that even the most practised eyes are very 

 often unable to discriminate any difference between 

 them. I think, however, as a rule, the Ring Ousel's 

 eggs are a little the largest, and more deeply blotched 

 and bolder in their markings. They are bluish-green 

 in ground colour, speckled and blotched with reddish 

 brown : some specimens have one or two brown streaks, 

 notably at the larger end. 



No birds defend their eggs or young with more 

 matchless courage than the Ring Ousel. Approach 

 their treasure, and although you have no knowledge of 

 its whereabouts, you speedily know that you are on 

 sacred ground, or, more plainly speaking, on the nest- 

 ing-site of this bird of the moor. Something sweeps 

 suddenly round your head, probably brushing your face. 

 You look round, and there the Ring Ousel, perched close 

 at hand, is eyeing you wrathfully, and ready to do 



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