420 



RING BLACKBIRD. 



stern, of a very pale brown, spotted all over with cinereous and dusky, 

 but not so pointed as the eggs of that bird ; the weight is about three 

 drams. 



This species inhabits the sea-coast, and sometimes the banks of lakes 

 and rivers. It is very common on the sea-coast of France and Holland, 

 and plentiful in North America. Its food consists of insects, rising from 

 the water, herbs floating on the top of the waves, and sometimes the 

 smaller sorts of fish. 



RICHARD'S PIPIT (Corydalla Eichardi, Vigors.) 

 *Anthus Richardi, Vieillot, Diet. d'Hist. Nat. Art. Pipi Temm. pi. Col. 101. 



Mr. Vigors describes this rare visitor to our island as being, when 

 alive, dusky, varied with whitish and black ; the under parts whitish ; 

 the breast rust-coloured, with black spots ; the two external quills of 

 the wings margined with white ; the less and the hinder claw very long. 

 The latter characters shew that it does not belong to the genus Anthus, 

 but has more resemblance to the larks. 



A specimen was taken alive in Copenhagen Fields, near London, 

 and another at Oxford.* 



RING BLACKBIRD (Merula torquata, Ray.) 



*Turdus torquatus, Linn, Syst. 1. p. 296. 23.— Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 832.— Lath. Ind. 

 Orn. 1. p. 343. 56 — Flem. Ik. Anim. p. 65. — Merula torquata, Brhs. 2. p. 



235. 12 Rati, Syn. p. 65. A. 2.— Le Merle a Plastron blanc, Buff. Ois. 3. 



p. 340. t. 31.— Ib. PI. Enl. 516. male Merle a Plastron, Temm. Man. d'Orn. 



1. p. 166 Ring Drossel, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 3. p. 369. t. 4 Meyer, 



Tasschenb. Deut. 1. p. 198.— Frisch, t. 30 Ring Ouzel, Br. ZooL 1. No. 110. 



t. 46.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 344. H Will. (Angl.) p. 194.— Lewins Br. Birds, 2. 



p. 62 Lath. Syn. 3. p. 46. 49.— lb. Supp. p. 141.— Mont. Orn. Diet.— Ib. 



Supp.— Bewick's Br. Birds, 1. p. 96.— Shaiv's Zool. 10. 227. t. 21. bad figure 

 from Buffon.— Selby, pi. 44. fig. 2. p. 160. 



Provincial. — Rock Ouzel. Tor Ouzel. Michaelmas Blackbird. Stirlin.* 

 This species is rather larger than the blackbird; length about eleven 

 inches ; bill dusky ; irides hazel ; the general plumage is black ; the 

 feathers on the upper parts are slightly margined with ash colour, those 

 of the rump and belly deeply bordered with grey ; on the breast is a 

 large patch of white, somewhat in the shape of a crescent, with the 

 horns pointing upwards. This mark, however, is subject to much 

 variation ; in some it is of a light brown, in others wholly wanting ; 

 the former is generally the female, the latter young birds not arrived 

 at maturity. 



This is not a common species in England, but they are sometimes seen 

 in small flocks in different parts, in the spring and autumn, migrating 

 from one part to another ; in such cases they remain but a short time 

 in a place. It is generally believed they do not winter with us, but they 

 are known to breed in many of the barren and mountainous parts, par- 



