bIRDS OBSERVED ON THE CLYDE. 



59 



Bothwell, to all of which the river is in part a boundary line, 

 though written by a good naturalist, the Rev. Wm. Patrick, 

 contain practically nothing bearing on the life of the river; 

 but his account of Hamilton parish includes a full and satis- 

 factory account of its avi-fauna, which should be read by all 

 interested. 



The physical features of the river banks within the limits 

 indicated in the title of these notes are well known to many 

 members of this Society, and that the portions of the district 

 nearest to Glasgow have been changed considerably by the 

 influence of man is also a matter of common knowledge, but 

 nothing can reconcile the rambler or naturalist to the pollution 

 of the river and the littering of its banks with the waste 

 products of the manufactures carried on there. Students of 

 bird-life know well that birds show great tenacity in holding 

 on to certain localities, even such as are the scene of rapid 

 change, and it is not till they are literally displaced that 

 birds disappear from long-frequented haunts. Among physical 

 features which retain some salient characteristics while surround- 

 ing aspects change, a river may be said to be one of the most 

 constant, and it is consequently not surprising that such a 

 great artery should continue to delight the student of Nature, 

 in spite of the drawbacks which the increase in the population 

 on its banks inevitably brings in its train. 



For a dozen years past it has been my regular practice to 

 spend a good deal of my leisure, in April and May especially, 

 on the banks of the river, during the spring migration period. 

 During autumn and winter my visits have been infrequent, but, 

 through the kindness of my friend, Mr. Robert Wilson, any 

 deficiency regarding these seasons has been made up by the 

 data he has furnished me with. 



Proceeding now to review the species observed, the Mistle- 

 Thrush {Turdus viscivorus, Linn.) is very plentiful about 

 Cambuslang, and I have found its nest on both banks of the 

 stream. One nest above Carmyle, found on 13th April, 1901, 

 was in a somewhat unusual situation, being placed on the top 



side of the main stem of a tree which was bent over the river 



the nest resting flat on the horizontal, away from any lateral 

 growths or supports. Considerable flocks are seen in autumn. 



