APPENDIX. | Birds. 345 
Cincius aquaticus [The Dipper or Water Cockie]. 
Every means has been put in requisition to destroy this little bird. 
It was abundant thirty years ago; but it is now rarely to be seen. 
It was supposed to destroy the young salmon, hence it has been 
shot down wherever found. But I have never, as yet, found any 
thing appertaining to fish in its stomach, and I have dissected 
about forty; water insects and their larve being what I have 
most frequently observed. 
Turpvus viscrvorus [Zhe Missel Thrush]. 
About twenty years ago such a bird was scarcely known among us, 
but now it bids fair to outnumber the common species; for, as the 
one gains ground, the other seems to lose it. 
Torpus pitaris [ The Fieldfare]. 
A winter visitor, We call them “ Hel-in-piets ;” that is, “ Highland 
piets.” They arrive in October, and depart in April. Some sea- 
sons they occur in thousands, but in others only sparingly. 
Turpus musicus [The Song Thrush or Mavis]. 
Usually very common in this neighborhood, but becoming super- 
, seded by the missel thrush. (For its singing propensities, see p. 
242). There is one fact in connection with the rearing of these 
birds which I must not omit to mention—namely, that if any of 
the young refuse to open their mouths to receive food when of- 
fered, the old one knocks them soundly on the head with his bill 
until they do so. I have observed this frequently, and was not a 
little amused at it. 
Turpus iL1acus [The Redwing]. 
A winter visitor, like the fieldfare, but not nearly so numerous. 
Turpus meruLa [Zhe Blackbird, Blackie]. 
Generally distributed, but not in great plenty in any place. White 
varieties have occasionally been met with, as well as pied. When 
the winter storms send the thrushes to the sea-shore to seek for 
food, this bird betakes himself to farm-steadings and stable-yards, 
so that he never suffers so much as the thrushes do. 
Tourpus rorquatus [ The Ring-ouzel]. 
Rare. A few breed now and then among the higher districts of the 
county. 
Accentor mopuxaris [ The Hedge-sparrow]. 
Generally distributed, but nowhere in abundance. 
Syivia RoBecuLa [Robin-redbreast]. 
This rather bold, red-breasted gentleman, or cock-robin, as we call 
him here, is somewhat more numerous than the last. 
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