116 



of the upper surface, and broad greyish-white margins to all the wing-feathers and those of the throat, 

 breast, and belly ; the pectoral gorget is a little duller white, the feathers being shaded with brownish. 



Obs. The Ring-Ouzel, though resembling the Blackbird in general form and appearance, never becomes of 

 so deep a black colour as that species, and may always be recognized by its white pectoral gorget. In 

 the female this is never so distinct ; and it seems to be easily recognizable by this peculiarity at all ages. 

 Like the Blackbird, the present species often exhibits white feathers on the head and face. 



Explanation of the Plates. In our first Plate we figure an adult male and female in breeding-plumage, with 

 a young nestling. All these specimens are in our own collection, the male being sent from Norway by 

 Mr. Robert Collett, the female given us by Professor Sundevall, and for the nestling we are indebted 

 to Mr. Henry Seebohm, of Sheffield. In the second Plate we give representations of an adult male and 

 a young female, both in winter plumage, the latter being from Schleswig, the former sent to us by 

 Mr. Robson, who procured it at Belgrade, in Turkey. 



Tiie present species possesses nearly the same range as the Blackbird in Europe, but breeds 

 further to the northward than its congener. Like the last-named bird it does not appear to 

 extend beyond the Ural. 



In the British Islands it is a well-known favourite, but frequents only such moorland or 

 rocky situations as are suitable to its habits. Of its manners and economy we have given a full 

 history below, from the materials furnished to us by many kind friends. Yarrell gives a very 

 good account of its distribution in England: — "The Ring-Ouzel arrives in this country from the 

 south in the month of April, and appears to prefer the extreme western and northern portions of 

 these islands, visiting the wilder rocky and mountainous districts generally. They breed, it is 

 said, on Dartmoor every year ; and Mr. Eyton has noticed that they are by no means rare birds 

 in Wales, particularly on the Berwyn chain of mountains near Corwen." He then gives a list of 

 the English counties in which it is supposed to breed; but on this point we quote later authors, 

 the first of whom is Mr. Ilodd with regard to its occurrence in Cornwall. It is stated by him to 

 be a " summer visitant ; rare, but sometimes seen on the wild open country about Zennor, 

 Towednack, &c. ; Cam Galra, in Mowah, on our north coast, is a locality exactly congenial to 

 the habits of this bird, where it has been seen. More common on the eastern moors, where they 

 lined. The young, scarcely fledged, have been observed and taken on the moors and tors near 

 North Hill. viz. Hawk's Tor, Kilmar," &c. In Devonshire, Mr. J. Brooking Rowe states that it 

 breeds on the moors ; and it is also met with during migration, for Yarrell writes : — " The Ring- 

 Ouzel is not unfrequently seen in flocks of twenty or thirty about the end of October along the 

 line of our southern coast, when preparing for their departure. To the Rev. Robert Holdsworth, 

 i >f Brixham., I am indebted for a series of letters on the Natural History of Birds and Fishes in 

 Devonshire. From him I learn that flocks of Ring-Ouzels appear in October, for about a fort- 

 night, near Berry Head, the Bolt headland, and the Start Point, and are then seen no more that 

 year. Further to the eastward, at the island of Portland, where these birds assemble, they are 

 called Michaelmas Blackbirds; and the Isle of Purbeck is another starting-place. White of 

 Selborne saw them frequently when on their route in Hampshire and Sussex." 



Mr. A. G. More states that " the nest has also been found occasionally in the Isle of Wight, 

 Kent, Suffolk, Norfolk, Warwick, and Leicester." Further information as to the migrations and 



