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Galashiels, in Selkirkshire, the Rev. Nathaniel Paterson states that ' the Moor Blackbird, too, 

 has of late years become a most troublesome spoiler of the garden. It is nearly of the same 

 size as the singing Blackbird, but dingy and tuneless — a daring thief that comes before the 

 windows and carries off a plum nearly as large as itself, showing by its chatter more of anger 

 than fear when it is disturbed in the work of depredation. Currants, gooseberries, cherries, 

 plums, and the finest wall-fruits are its prey.' 



" Its flight is strong and direct, or with very little undulation. When pursued, it generally 

 flies at once to a considerable distance, and it is only when you come near its nest or young that it 

 ventures within shooting distance. Like the Song-Thrush, it conceals itself among the bushes, but 

 is much more easily put to flight. When alarmed, it utters a repetition of strong clear notes, like 

 those of the Blackbird, but louder; and its song consists of a few simple, loud, and mellow notes." 



Mr. Wheelwright says, concerning its note : — " Of all the Thrushes, perhaps the wild 

 desultory carol of the Ring-Ouzel is loudest and clearest." Dr. E. Baldamus observes that its 

 song is very Blackbird-like, and it is by far the best songster of any of the alpine birds, insomuch 

 that when one or two Ring-Ouzels are singing all the rest of the songsters near remain quiet. 

 Its song is loud, and may be heard at a great distance in the mountains. Its call-note is a sharp, 

 harsh teck tdck tock, to which is often added a ton; which is once or twice repeated, and, followed 

 by the syllables teck tdck tack, appears to be a note of alarm. In a letter addressed to us by Mr. 

 R. Collett, that gentleman says: — " When in the lowlands it seldom utters anything but its call- 

 note tack tack ; but in the fells, when near its nest, one may hear its song, which consists of a few 

 monotonous, lengthened notes, not unlike those of a Titmouse, and which may be likened to the 

 syllables tih-rdo, tih-roo." Mr. J. A. Harvie Brown also writes: — " Mr. R. Gray, in a letter to 

 mi', accompanying a nest of eggs taken by him in Ayrshire, aptly describes the cry of the bird 

 when angry or disturbed. He writes: ' I put the bird off the nest and it uttered a very aa^ry 

 ricketting cry, extremely sharp, and almost like the cry of an angry weasel.' They have also a 

 cry, doubtless well-known to you, resembling that of the Stonechat or Wheatear ; and in many 

 nf their habits and postures they seem to approach the Saxicolae. I have on one occasion found 

 the nest placed quite underneath a large stone, as I believe the nests of Monticola saxatilis are 

 often situated." 



Mr. Henry Seebohm has very kindly sent us an excellent account of the nesting, as follows : — 

 '•The Ring-Ouzel is a common bird in summer on the moors in the neighbourhood of Sheffield. 

 Early in April their three or four wild and plaintive notes may be heard, or their harsh scream, 

 as they chase each other from rock to rock. Whether they have any more sustained song I do 

 not know. They frequent principally the highest ground, where there is little else but heather, 

 rocks, and Grouse. Sometimes they may be seen feeding on the pastures of the upland farms 

 on the moor-edges, especially after rain, hopping about in search of worms, snails, &c, as the 

 Blackbird and Thrush so often do on our lawns ; but I have never seen them in the lower and 

 better cultivated part of the valleys. They are wild and shy, and difficult to approach within 

 gunshot. 



" The Ring-Ouzel begins to build towards the end of April. Eggs can be obtained during 

 the whole of May, and even till July ; but these latter will probably be a second brood. The 

 nest is almost invariably built or the ground, in the ling on the brink of an embankment or 



