238 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



DIPPER. 



CINCLUS Ai^UATICUS, Bechst. 94. 



Still apparently, to my eye, as abundant as formerly, though 

 said not to be so by the natives. They are not shot down, and it 

 would, I fancy, be difficult to assign a reason for their diminution, 

 if such is the case. On one burn, near Inchnadamph, I was quite 

 struck by their abundance this year, though certainly upon 

 another, they did seem somewhat scarcer than in 1869. 



MISSEL THRUSH. 

 TURDUS VISCIVORUS, L. 94. 



Mr Mackenzie, in 1875, notes this species as very common 

 about Dornoch. Passing Rosehall, on the 21st May, 1877, in the 

 post-gig, I saw several. I never observed them there, nor indeed 

 in Sutherland, before. Near Loch Inver, in the west, I saw an old 

 nest, evidently of this species. The advance of this species north- 

 ward and westward has been very rapid. In the Dunrobin 

 Museum are specimens of the eggs, with the birds, obtained as 

 long ago as 1869 ; but at that time they were undoubtedly far 

 from common. 



SONG THRUSH. 

 TURDUS MUSICUS, L. 94. 



This year I observed the Song Thrush at Inchnadamph, where I 

 have no recollection of seeing it before, and it is decidedly common 

 now, near and around Loch Inver, and at some places on the 

 shores of Loch Assynt. Formerly I found them common further 

 north, at Badcall and Scowrie, and also at Loch Inver. They are 

 now becoming more generally distributed. 



BLACKBIRD. 



TURDUS MERULA, L. 95. 



Common around Loch Inver. I cannot positively assert that 

 it was less so nine years ago, but my impression is that it was not 

 so plentiful then. It has not as yet reached Inchnadamph. 



