Class 2. AVES. 



Order PASSERES. 



Family TURDID^. 

 Sub-family TURDINJi. 



Turdus viscivorus, Z. Missel-Thrush. 



Local Names. — 'Hielan' or 'Hillan {i.e. Highland) Piet ' ; ' Grey Chacker ' 

 in Carn District of Spey. 



Resident, generally distributed, abundant, and a spreading species. 

 Common throughout the whole of our northern area, but has 

 not as yet been observed at Badenloch, there being scarcely enough 

 trees in the district to suit it. The species occurs all along the 

 Dornoch Firth. 



Hepburn, 1 when speaking of its presence in the northern 

 districts of Inverness-shire, in 1847, says: — 'Family parties of 

 Missel-Thrushes bespoke the presence of this new and adven- 

 turous colonist.' As Selby found this species breeding in Suther- 

 land in 1834, the bird must have been established there for at 

 least twelve years. 



The Missel-Thrush is common at Invergarry, and we observed 

 it also at Guisachan, and Mr. Doncaster met with it in Strath 

 Glass and Glen Affric. 



In the southern portion of the Moray basin, the earliest record 

 of its appearance is given to us by Mr. Hoy as follows : — ' On 

 February 27th and 28th, 1807, several of the T. viscivorus were 

 found dead at Gordon Castle on the snow, and some of them 

 so weak as not to be able to fly, and so were easily caught.' 



^ ' Notes on the Quadrupeds and Birds of the Northern Districts of Inverness- 

 shire,' by Archibald Hepburn, Esq. ; Zoologist, February 1829, p. 2010. 



