The next rare birds (which were procured for me last week) were
some ring-ousels, turdi torquati.
This week twelve months a gentleman from London, being with us,
was amusing himself with a gun, and found, he told us, on an old
yew hedge where there were berries, some birds like blackbirds,
with rings of white round their necks: a neighbouring farmer also at
the same time observed the same; but, as no specimens were
procured little notice was taken. I mentioned this circumstance to
you in my letter of November the 4th, 1767 (you, however, paid
but small regard to what I said, as I had not seen these birds
myself); but last week, the aforesaid farmer, seeing a large dock,
twenty or thirty of these birds, shot two cocks and two hens: and
says, on recollection, that he remembers to have observed these
birds again last spring, about Lady-day, as it were, on their return
to the north. Now perhaps these ousels are not the ousels of the
north of England, but belong to the more northern parts of Europe;
and may retire before the excessive rigour of the frosts in those
parts; and return to breed in the spring, when the cold abates.
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