ROSE OUZEL. 



437 



a flesh-colour, blackish at the base ; irides pale brown ; head adorned 

 with a long- pendant crest of loose silky feathers falling- backwards, 

 which, as well as the neck and upper part of the breast, is of a velvet 

 black, with violet and green reflections ; the whole of the belly and 

 back of a delicate peach-blossom red; wings and tail brownish black, 

 with violet reflections ; under tail coverts and thighs black ; legs flesh 

 red, very strong and muscular. 



The female is similar to the male bird in markings, but the crest is 

 shorter, and the red less pure in its tint. 



The young of the year have the bill of a blackish brown-colour ; no 

 crest ; head and all the upper parts of the body hair-brown, tinged with 

 grey ; wing coverts edged with greyish white ; throat and centre of 

 the belly white ; legs and feet wood-brown. It can only be considered 

 as an occasional visitant to this country. 



* Selby says the one figured by him was shot out of a small flock of 

 these birds and young starlings intermixed, upon the sea-coast near 

 Bamburgh Castle, in the month of July, 1818. Another male bird 

 was taken, about the same time, in a tan-pit near Newcastle-upon- 

 Tyne ; and other specimens are mentioned as having been obtained in 

 the neighbourhood of Ormskirk, in Lancashire. It is a native of the 

 warmer parts of Asia and Africa, where it is very common, living and 

 feeding with the starling species. It is also a regular periodical visitant 

 in Italy, Spain, and the southern provinces of France. In its mode of 

 life, it is of great benefit in many countries,, by preying on the larvce of 

 particular insects ; in the search after which it displays great assiduity, 

 and is, on that account, highly esteemed and protected by the inhabi- 

 tants. Its nest is made in the holes of trees, and in old walls, but the 

 number and colour of its eggs are not mentioned. The young, in their 

 nestling plumage, are very unlike the parent birds, and greatly resemble 

 the young of the starling. 



The French translator of Bechstein's Manuel des Oiseaux has added 

 in that work some interesting remarks respecting this species. " A 

 sportsman," says he, " discovered, near Meiningen, a covey of eight of 

 these birds proceeding slowly towards the north, one of which he suc- 

 ceeded in securing. In a short time it became so tame as to take in- 

 sects from the hand, when presented to it. Its song at first consisted 

 only of a few harsh and inharmonious notes, but by degrees the tones 

 became clearer and more sustained. An amateur in song birds, who 

 heard it for the first time, thought he listened to a concert, consisting 

 of the starling, goldfinch, and aberdevine, and when he saw it was 

 alone, could hardly believe that this music proceeded from one bird."* 



