ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM A SOUTH LONDON SUBURB. 
ead Eee STOEN TS. 
First comes the Thrush tribe — Missel, Blackbird, and 
Thrush. All three are quite as common, I think, as 30 years 
ago, the two latter being particularly plentiful in the local 
parks. 
MISSEL THRUSH. 
The Missel Thrush breeds sparingly in the neighbourhood, 
but in Brixton itself I have no record of it so doing since 1900. 
The average date of the first song I find to be February 13th, 
and it is not often to be heard after the middle of May. In 
the early months of the year a very common sight is that of 
the association of three of these birds, but that it is scarcely 
of an amicable character may be known by their many harsh 
utterances; the entire performance being, doubtless, the rivalry 
of two male birds for a female. 
The Blackbird and Thrush are both profusely common and 
still nest in Brixton gardens. The parks and woods are, how- 
ever, their chief resorts; Dulwich Park being especially fav- 
oured. In the early April and May mornings I am sure a 
dozen or more of both species may be heard singing at one 
time. 
IRE CO'S El. 
The Thrush begins its song much earlier than the Black- 
bird, about mid-November, if mild; certainly before December 
is out his voice will be heard. At this time the staves will be 
short and the melody broken, but after the New Year the song 
steadily improves, and should be perfect early in February. 
Then to the end of May it is at its best, though there will be 
very much fewer birds singing by that time. Those with 
second or late broods will keep in song throughout June, and 
occasionally one or more may be heard throughout July and 
even in the first week of August. These last songs will, how- 
ever, be confined to the early mornings. Roughly speaking, 
there are barely 4 months in which the. song is not heard As 
a migrant, it is not very noticeable—that is, as a traveller—but 
in August we get many in the suburban gardens through the 
dispersal of the locally-bred birds, and in October a marked 
addition to our numbers by the advent of the foreign Thrushes. 
BLACKBIRD. 
The Blackbird is, I think, quite as abundant here as the 
Thrush. Its song is rarely heard before February, and usually 
about the second week; the average date, by my notes, being 
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