As in England, variations in the plumage of the Blackbird are not uncommon.  I have one Guernsey specimen of a uniform fawn colour, and another rather curiously marked with grey, the tail-feathers being striped across grey and black.  This is a young bird recently out of the nest, and I have no doubt would, after a moult or two, have come to its proper plumage, probably after the first moult, as seems to me frequently the case with varieties of this sort, though I have known a Blackbird show a good deal af white year after year in the winter, resuming its proper plumage in the summer; and Mr. Jago mentions a case of a Blackbird which passed through his hands which was much marked with grey.  This bird was found dead, and the owner of the estate on which it was found informed Mr. Jago that it had frequented his place for four years, and that he had seen it with its mate during the summer; so in this case the variation certainly seems to have been permanent.

27.  RING OUZEL. Turdus torquatus, Linnaeus.  French, “Merle a plastron.”—­I do not think the Ring Ouzel is ever as common in the Channel Islands as it is on migration in South Devon.  A few, however, make their appearance in each of the Islands every autumn, but they are never very numerous, and do not remain very long, arriving generally about the end of September and remaining till the end of November or beginning of December, during which time a few may always be seen hung up in the market.  Many of the autumnal arrivals are young birds of the year, with the white crescent on the breast nearly wanting or only very faintly marked.

Mr. Gallienne, in his remarks appended to Professor Ansted’s list, says the Ring Ouzel stays with us throughout the year, but is more plentiful in winter than in summer.  But I have never myself seen one either dead or alive in the spring or summer.  It may, however, occasionally visit the Island in the spring migration, but I know of no authentic instance of its remaining to breed, nor have I seen the eggs in any Guernsey collection.  I have seen specimens of the Ring Ouzel from Alderney, and it appears to me about equally common at the same time of year in all the Islands.  Mr. MacCulloch, however, writes to me:—­“From what I have heard the Ring Ouzel is more common in Alderney than Guernsey, where it is seen mostly on the southern cliffs.”  The south end of the Island is no doubt its favourite resort in Guernsey.  As far as Alderney is concerned Captain Hubback, R.A., who has been quartered there at different times, says he has never seen one there; but I do not think he has been much there in the early autumn.

Professor Ansted includes it in his list, and marks it as occurring in Guernsey and Sark.  There are several, both male and female and young, in the Guernsey Museum.

28.  HBDGESPARROW. Accentor modularis, Linnaeus.  French, “Mouchet,” “Traine buisson,” “Accenteur mouchet.”—­The Hedgesparrow is, I think, quite as common as in England, and resident throughout the year in all the Islands.  According to Mr. Metivier’s ‘Dictionary’ its local name is “Verdeleu,” and he describes it as “Oiseau qui couvre les oeufs de Coucou.”  In Guernsey, however, Cuckoos are much too numerous for the Hedgesparrow to afford accommodation for them all.