MERULA ALPESTRIS, Brehm. 
ALPINE RING-OUZEL. 
Sylvia torquata, pt., Savi, Orn. Tosc. i. p. 206 (1827). 
Merula alpestris, C. L. Brehm, Isis, 1828, p. 1281; id. Vóg. Deutschl. p. 377 (1831); Stejn. 
Pr. U.S. Nat, Mus. ix. рр. 365-373 (1886); Seebohm, Ibis, 1889, p. 309; Salvad. Boll. Mus. 
Zool. Torino, viii. no. 152, May (1893). 
Turdus torquatus (nec Linn.), Naum. Уба. Deutschl. vi. p. 5 (1888), xiii. p. 363, Taf. 361. fig. 3 
(1847-48). 
Merula vociferans, Brehm, Naum. 1855, р. 281; id. J. Ё О. 1856, p. 446. 
Merula maculata, Brehm, Naum. 1855, p. 281; id. J. f. O. 1856, p. 446. 
Merula insignis, Brehm, 7. f. O. 1856, p. 446. 
Merula torquata, pt. (nec Linn.), Bettoni, Stor. Осе. nidif. Lomb., Turdide, gen. 514 (1865). 
Turdus alpestris, Stejn. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 255 (1886). 
Merula torquata, var. alpestris, Tschusi, MT. orn. Ver. Wien, xii. p. 70 (1888). 
Merula torquata alpestris, Seebohm, Ibis, 1888, p. 311. 
Turdus torquatus alpestris, Prázak, MT. orn. Ver. Wien, xvii. p. 68 (1893). 
М. pedibus saturaté brunneis, nec flavicantibus: notzo gastreoque nigris, torque przpectorali albo conspicuo : 
plumis gastrei singulis medialiter albis: subcaudalibus conspicue albo medialiter striatis : rostro flavo. 
Тнк fact that three species of Ring-Ouzel are found in Europe has only recently been recognized, 
although in 1872, in writing the history of Turdus torquatus in the * Birds of Europe, I was unable 
to account for some of the phases of plumage in that species, and at least two of the birds figured are 
now said by Mr. Dresser to belong to M. alpestris. Тһе material at my disposal, however, was not 
sufficient at that period for me to confirm the presence even of a second species in Europe. То Dr. L. 
Stejneger belongs the credit of having re-established Merula alpestris of Brehm as а distinct species 
from the Common Ring-Ouzel, M. torquata (Linneus). In the 9th volume of the * Proceedings of 
the U.S. National Museum ’ (pp. 365-373) he comments on the description and figure (pl. 15) in 
the * Birds of Europe” and justly criticizes the fact that I had not seen that the bird which puzzled 
me was referable to Brehm's M. alpestris; but, as I have said before, the series at my disposal was 
insufficient for the correct identification of the Central-European species. It is also equally certain 
that twenty-five years ago no ornithologist in this country treated the manifold species of the old 
Pastor with the consideration which some of them apparently deserve, and the following strictures of 
Dr. Stejneger are certainly in the present instance well merited :—“ It has been the unfortunate 
fashion to sneer at the species and subspecies of Brehm, and the simple fact that a name was 
established by him has been sufficient reason to ignore it altogether and to put it into the synonymy 
without investigation. This is not only injustice to Brehm’s honest labour and his extreme power of 
discrimination, but it has resulted in extreme injury to science. In the present case, for instance, 
I think I am in a position to prove that Brehm was correct, and that there exist two distinct species 
of Ring-Thrushes in Europe, notwithstanding the fact that hardly a single European ornithologist of 
the present generation even dreams of it." 
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