THE BLACKBIRDS. 
255 
<8° N. lat., and breeds also in Northern Germany on this 
side of the Riesenberge and Silesia, and it is proba y our 
bird which nests in Guelderland in Holland and .in 
Belgium. Mr. Seebohm Hkewise considers that the R g- 
Ouzel of the Vosges mountains will be found to be M tor 
auata • but as Mr. Howard Saunders found M. alpestris 
in the Jura, nesting at a height of from fifteen to forty 
feet the bird of the Vosges will certainly be the same 
as that of the Jura. The latter form which is distin ^’ shed 
by white centres to the feathers of the under parts (in a 
dition to the white margins) is found in the Alps and the 
Apennines in Italy, and breeds in suitable places in Germany 
STte Wantage >nd Silesia. In Tmnsylv.nj. Mr 
Danford has found its nest not near the ground, but a a 
height of forty feet in a tree, so that the habits of the Alpine 
Ring-Ouzel evidently differ from those of its northern ally 
It is probably M. alpestris which breeds in the Pyrenees and 
the mountains of Spain, but whether it is M. torquata which 
extends east to the Urals can only be determined by an ex- 
amination of specimens. In winter our bird appears to visit 
the countries of the Mediterranean and shares the winter-home 
of M. alpestris. 
Habit* —The Ring-Ouzel is a bird of the moors and fells, and is 
rarely seen in the south-east of England, except during its migra- 
tions, when it is often to be observed near Brighton m the 
gardens near the town, resting for a short time on its southern 
journey. In most of its habits the Ring-Ouzel resembles the 
Blackbird, and has the same habit of elevating its tail, when 
alights on the ground or perches. 1 he song is also a har. h 
echo of the Blackbird’s, though it is said to resemble hose of 
the Starling and Song-Thrush in a certain degree, it is how- 
ever inferior to that of both the Blackbird and Song- 1 brush, 
and\ontains many rough notes not uttered by the two birds 
last-named. The food of the Ring- Ouzel consists 1 of worms 
snails, and beetles, while in autumn it feeds • 
berries in its northern home and harries the ™eyards , )f ^ 
countries through which it passes 011 1 s ^ * 
Heligo'and at the end of September we found the Rin o -0uzel 
passing in some numbers, and they were plentiful for a few 
days in the bushes and grass on “ Sandy Island. 1 hey weie 
