Transactions. 77 



First in order comes the Passeres, the most important in this 

 district, numbering 41 out of a total of 67. Of these the Missel 

 Thrush and Blackbird are both common, the former more wary and 

 cunning, electing the less frequented woods, while the " blackie " 

 shows a decided attachment to the haunts of man. The Song 

 Thrush is comparatively a rare bird. Of the Ring Ousel tliis is 

 par excellence the home. In every rocky glen or rugged moun- 

 tain scar his impudent chatter may be heard. With his nest 

 firmly planted on the ledge of a steep rock or buried in the heather 

 bush on an overhanging crag in some lonely glen, he rears liis 

 voracious brood in complete security. The same, or presumably 

 the same, pair return year after year to the same place to breed, 

 and the nests of many seasons can be found within a few yards of 

 each other. Some glens are, for no apparent reason, more affected 

 than others. In one of these, not more than a mile long, I in one 

 season saw five nests, and from the number of birds concluded 

 that still others existed. In such circumstances suitable sites are 

 not always available, and he contents himself with building on the 

 edge of a sheep drain or sloping- knoll. Solitary and wary in their 

 breeding habits, they avoid the more frequented country. Once 

 only have I found them forgetful, but the place (the Holm woods) 

 being too public they forsook it when half the eggs had been laid. 

 They begin to build very shortly after their arrival, in the end of 

 April, and, in the event of the nest l)eingdestroyed,rapidIy build anew. 

 In one instance, when the nest was robbed of 4 eggs on April 24, 

 the biids built again near the same site, and by March 9 had again 

 4 eggs. These having been removed by some wanton boys, they 

 again renewed their toil, and had built and replenished a new 

 abode by the lOtli. Being again robbed they refused to build 

 again, no doubt thinking- that o nests and 12 eggs in 30 days were 

 sufficient to command greater success. For the remainder of the 

 season they frequented their unfortunate haunt and returned next 

 season, when, I am pleased to say, they were successful in rearing 

 a vigorous brood. The Wheatear, \Vhinchat, Redbreast, Wren, 

 Willow Wren, and Hedge Sparrow are all common. The Red- 

 start and Sedge Warbler are somewhat rare, the latter particularly 

 so, on account of the lack of suitable breeding ground here, 

 though common enough on the lower reaches of the Nith from 

 Thornhill downwards. The Dipper comes next, and, like the 

 ubiquitous sparrow, is rapidly acquiring the habit of utilising the 

 crevices and holes in bridges and tree roots, instead of building a 



