THE MISSEL THRUSH. 9 



in the county in 1847.^ Mr. Gray remarks in 1871, that 

 there has been a gradual increase in its numbers through- 

 out Scotland during the last thirty years, and that, so recently 

 as 1830, it was rather an unusual circumstance to find it 

 breeding in any locality north of the Tweed.^ 



The Missel Thrush is now comparatively common in 

 Berwickshire, where it is a partial migrant, and may be seen 

 in many of our grass fields in small flocks during the 

 autumn and winter months. It frequents woods and plan- 

 tations in spring and summer. 



The great increase of this bird in the county, within the 

 last sixty years, is probably the result of various causes, 

 which would likewise affect the whole of the south of Scot- 

 land. There can be little doubt that the destruction of 

 Magpies and birds of prey for the preservation of game has 

 promoted the increase of many of our smaller birds, and it 

 is possible that this may partly account for the extension of 

 the range of the Missel Thrush northwards from its former 

 southern breeding quarters. Where Magpies abounded — 

 which they did in many parts of the country before game 

 was strictly preserved — the nest of this Thrush, being usually 

 placed in an exposed situation in plantations, would be 

 particularly liable to be robbed by them, notwithstanding 

 the vigilance of the old birds, and their daring attacks 

 upon all intruders. As Magpies became scarce, the num- 

 bers of nests which escaped being robbed would be- 

 come larger, and the young, being allowed to fly, would 

 gradually occupy all the vacant space available in their 

 neighbourhood, and extension northwards would natu- 

 rally follow. This extension may likewise have been in- 

 fluenced by causes affecting the migration of the bird, 

 such as favourable winds or otherwise; for, as pointed 



1 Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, vol. v. p. 442. 

 - Birds of the West of Scotland, p. 73. 



