THE MISSEL THRUSH. 121 



A reward of sixpence for every head would seem to have effected 

 a complete "clearance" of water ouzels in some districts there; as 

 Sir Wm. Jardine says he was unable to meet with a single indi- 

 vidual in the most suitable localities. Tins author further mentions 

 (p. 71) that, in one Highland district, he had the factor's authen- 

 ticated report of 548 of these birds having been destroyed within 

 three years. When spending the month of September, 1842, at 

 Aberarder, in the north of Inverness-shire, I was gratified to 

 find (although the erroneous notion just mentioned respect- 

 ing it is current there), that the water ouzel " maintained its 

 ground " about the streams where nature intended that it 

 should be. It is known there by the name of king-fisher, as it 

 is generally in the north of Scotland. Mr. Poole mentions that 

 about Wexford also, the name of king-fishei is applied to this bird. 

 He gives the following instance of its double signification : — Being 

 one day on the look out for water ouzels, in a favourite haunt about a 

 mill, and having fired at one, the report brought the miller to the 

 spot. My correspondent anticipating much information from one 

 who thus lived in their regular haunts, commenced questioning the 

 miller as to the habits of the species ; but the amount of his 

 knowledge consisted in the remark that the hen birds are common 

 enough, but the cock, which is a most brilliant creature, had 

 never come under his notice but once. Water ouzels of both 

 sexes were, therefore, considered by the miller as hens, and the 

 true king-fisher (Alcedo ispida) as the male bird. In no part of 

 Ireland am I aware of the species under consideration suffering, 

 as it does in Scotland, from ignorant persecution. 



THE MISSEL THBUSH* 



Turdus viscivorus, Linn. 



Is a resident species pretty generally distributed over 

 wooded districts. 



* This bird passes under the name of Jay in many parts of Ireland ; about Belfast 

 T have heard it called corny keevor. Butcher-bird is the term applied to it in a part 

 of Donegal. 



