no The Scottish Naturalist. 



winter, whereas the Thrush, as stated above, is partially migra- 

 tory. 



33. TuRDUS TLiACUS, Linn. (Redwing.) 



34. TuRDUS piLARUS, Linn. (Fieldfare.) 



Both the above species reach us from their summer quarters 

 in the north about the end of October, the Redwings seeming 

 to prefer woody places and shrubberies about dwellings, while 

 the Fieldfare, a much shyer bird, keeps to the fields and more 

 open ground during the daytime. The Redwing, which seems 

 to be rather a sociable bird, may frequently be heard from some 

 tree or bush near the dwelling previous to its departure in spring, 

 where, assembled in large numbers, they hold a perfect con- 

 cert of voices, warbling out their songs in the sweetest of 

 tones, much in the way that our Brown Linnets do. Whether 

 either of these birds ever breed in the district, or any other part 

 of the mainland of Scotland, I believe has not yet actually been 

 determined, but possibly both species may do so at times. The 

 Redwing I have noticed in the low woods above Pitlochrie as 

 late as the month of June, the very time it is known to be nest- 

 ing in Norway and Iceland ; it is therefore not unlikely that it 

 occasionally does so here, especially as the late Dr Saxby dis- 

 covered the nest in Wales early in May. 



35. Merula vulgaris, Ray. (Blackbird.) 



The Blackbird is perhaps of the whole family the most abund- 

 ant and generally diffused throughout the district during the 

 whole year, and though often a sufferer like the rest in very 

 severe winters, seems to come out of it better than most ; and in 

 this exceptional year of severity, though greatly thinned, it is not 

 nearly so reduced in numbers as many of the others. The Field- 

 fare and the Redwing, which left us to a bird, I have not noticed 

 to return at all this spring, and consequently, I fear, large num- 

 bers of them must have perished. 



36. Merula torquata, Boie. (Ring-Ouzel.) 



The Ring Ouzel, which I have never noticed in any part of 

 the lower section of the district, even during its migration in 

 autumn or spring, seems to confine itself entirely to the upper 

 part among the hills, arriving in April, when it immediately com- 

 mences breeding ; and up in Athole and other parts of the High- 



