TURDIDAE—THRUSHES.
75
In the middle of January, 1851, a nest containing one egg was found near
Southend (28. ii. 84), and on July 31st, 1881, I found a very late brood stilt
in the nest near here.
Albin figures an adult male, very much pied on the head, neck, breast, and
wing-coverts, which he says (3. i. 35 & ii. 34) was sent him "by Sir Robert
Abdy out of Essex." In the Saffron Walden Museum is a variety shot at
Wenden by Mr. Salmon. It has the throat striped much like a Thrush,
the breast much lighter than usual and a good deal marked with arrow-head-
shaped spots. Another specimen, a mature male, killed at Saffron Walden, has
a white spot behind each eye, a white throat, and a patch of white joining
that on the throat and half encircling the neck. In general appearance, this
bird is strikingly like a Ring Ouzel. Another mature male from Bard
field has part of the crown white; while a young male (?) from Chrishall is
entirely white, except for a few scattered feathers on the breast and back and
most of the primaries and inner tail-feathers, which are normal. On December
26th, 1875, I saw one with a white wing at Chignal St. James, and, curiously
enough, on December 26th, 1876, exactly a year later, another at Broomfield with
part of its right wing white. About a week before, my father saw, beside the
high road at High Easter, a pure white bird, which he had no doubt was a variety
of this species. A white specimen was taken from a nest near Leigh in May
1877, and another was hatched, with several normally-coloured ones, in a nest at
Shelley, in 1888 (Essex Chron., June 15th.).
Ring Ouzel : Turdus torquatus.
A rather uncommon passing migrant in spring and autumn,
when on its way to
and from its breed-
ing grounds on the
moors of the north
and west of England.
A few are recorded
in most seasons, usu-
ally during April or
October. On one
occasion it has been
known to breed in
the county, but its
doing so is quite
exceptional.
Henry Doubleday,
writing to Heysham in
1831, says (10) that at
Epping it "is only now and then seen in spring and autumn." He afterwards men-
tions (10) killing a young male with a very indistinct ring, at Epping, in Oct.,
1832. He also says (10) on Oct. 21st, 1836, "As I was riding to Chelmsford
yesterday, I saw a Ring Ouzel feeding on a haw-bush." Later still he writes
(10), " About the middle of April [1842], I killed a fine Ring Ouzel on an oak-
tree in the forest." On May 3rd, 1840, he writes (10) :—