THE REDWING. 77 



THE REDWING. 



TURD US ILIACUS. 



THIS species of thrush is later in arriving on the west than on the 

 opposite coast of Scotland. On their arrival from Norway and 

 other countries, where they breed, they fly in considerable flocks, 

 remaining, however, only a few days on the sea-coast to recruit, 

 before commencing their inland journey. On the Haddington- 

 shire coast, I have seen numbers coming in from the sea in com- 

 pany with fieldfares, and settling on the low-lying fields near the 

 beach. At an early hour one morning in the month of October, 

 I recollect seeing quite a swarm of those two species covering the 

 links at Dunbar. They were apparently fatigued, and permitted 

 a very near approach, merely hopping out of the way a little as I 

 walked forward. 



In western Scotland, the flocks are not so large, consisting for 

 the most part of a dozen or fifteen birds. These betake them- 

 selves to open fields during the daytime, where they feed on grubs 

 and worms, and at nightfall they frequently roost in a group 

 of trees, occupying some exposed situation, unless the weather 

 happens to be very severe, when they are glad to seek the shelter 

 of garden shrubs and bushes. In the memorable frost of 1860-61, 

 great numbers perished during a snow-storm of unusual severity. 

 My friend Dr John Grieve informed me that he had seen at 

 Dunoon, in Argyleshire, twenty or thirty dead Redwings lying 

 huddled together under a laurel bush after the storm had ceased. 



The Outer Hebrides are visited also by small flocks of this 

 species, which appears to linger there even longer than it does on 

 the mainland. The late Dr Macgillivray has stated in his work 

 on British Birds, that he has seen specimens on the 25th of 

 May in Harris, the same island on which Mr Bullock had found 

 the Redwing breeding in 1818. This circumstance is mentioned 

 in Fleming's " History of British Animals," the author having been 

 informed by Mr Bullock, in a letter dated 25th April, 1819. 



A manuscript note in Mr Dunn's copy of Messrs Baikie and 

 Heddle's work, states that the Redwing breeds in these islands. 



