1 9 1 8 . ] Birds of the Isle of May . 271 



them did not enable us to determine the subspecies. We 

 have seen enormous rushes of this bird in October; some- 

 times the island is covered with them, their characteristic 

 note resounding on every side. In comparison with the 

 British birds, wiiich are often on the island at the same 

 time, the Continental Thrush in the field looks darker and 

 slighter, and is much less confiding. 



Turdus musicus clarkii. The British Soivg-Thrush. 

 Thrushes, doubtless this subspecies, used to breed on the 

 island, but now no longer do so. Passage migrant : some of 

 the large numbers occurring in February and March are 

 without doubt our Scottish birds returning to their breed- 

 ing-places, and very large numbers of this race visit the 

 island in autumn. The main autumn movement takes place 

 in September and October, but early arrivals are noted in 

 August, iind those killed at the lantern during this month 

 and sent to us have always been our home-bred birds. 

 Thrushes (sul)sp, ?) occasionally visit the island in winter. 

 In the main, Thrushes travel by night, though daylight 

 movement also takes place ; we have seen flocks arrive on 

 the island by day, plunging down from a great height, 

 uttering a peculiar shrill note as they come, alighting on the 

 island and immediately taking covert. When leaving for a 

 long flight, they rise perpendicularly into the air, until 

 invisible not only to the naked eye but also to field-glasses. 



Turdus iliacus. The Redwing. A bird of double passage, 

 much commoner in autumn than in spring, and occasionally a 

 winter visitor. The period of maximum movement in spring 

 is March and April, though Redwings sometimes appear as 

 early as February and as late as 25 May. In autumn 

 arrivals occur between 20 September and mid-November. 

 We have seen great daylight movements of this species, 

 though Redwings usually travel by night ; for instance, on 

 10 October, 1909, they were arriving from the north-east 

 all day, and on 16 October, 1910, great numbers kept comiug 

 in from the north. All Thrushes are strongly attracted by 

 the lantern ; this species, Song-Thrushes, and Fieldfares are 



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