BIRDS. 



61 



Order PASSERES. 

 Family TURDID-ffi. 



Turdus viscivorus, L. Missel-Thrush. 



Not truly gregarious. Resident. Common. Breeds. Nests in the 

 wooded districts. Never, or more rarely, seen in winter in the east, 

 but is partly migratory in the upper districts. It is a naturally 

 increasing species throughout Scotland over all suitable areas of our 

 faunal divisions, but is sensitive to excessive or long-protracted cold 

 in spring ; consequently it becomes liable to severe checks at times 

 upon its progress in dispersal.^ 



Mr. Bruce ^ speaks of it as formerly rare in the east of Fife, and 

 he obtained his first nest, he tells us, some fifty years ago (say about 

 1845) in Stravithie Wood, "since cut down, and which stood near 

 the present railway station. ' 



By 1879 it was found to be abundant and increasing in the 

 north-west of our area (Horn, Proc. Nat. Hist. Soc. Glas., 1879, p. 56). 



In Strathmore Mr. Milne marks it as resident, but not so 

 abundant as formerly. This is given at date of 1903, and was, I 

 believe, due to the late and cold spring and summer of 1902. 



In latest summer or the earlier part of the migrating season 

 Missel-Thrushes "pack" into large flocks near their nesting haunts, 

 and frequent open fields or moory wastes, and are at that time wild 

 and unapproachable (see previous volumes of this series, e.r/. Moray, 

 North- West Highlands, etc.). They are scarcely migratory at this 

 stage, but are gregarious and in preparation for departure, i.e. at 

 least the greater part of them, principally the young of the year. 

 Mr. Robert Godfrey, instancing such an occurrence which came 

 under his notice in Glen Ogle, says: "Abundant from the Col at 

 Balquhidder in Edinchip as far as Lairig Eala,"^ Mr. Godfrey 

 continues : " They roosted in flocks in the Glen Ogle fir woods. 

 On July 31, 1904, I counted 115 (one hundred and fifteen) on a 

 field of new-mown hay " (MS. of Mr. Godfrey in my possession). 



My friend Mr. James Davidson marks it in his list of birds 



^ We were aware of a much more northerly distribution, for instance in the extreme 

 north of Scotland, when one of these severe check? took place, and they had to retire 

 before the colder temperature of a late spring and summer (v. Fauna of Sutherland 

 - and Caithntss, under species). 



'- But in 190-") Mr, Berwick marks it as common and resident. 



" Lairig Eala is at the head of Glen Ogle, at the watershed between the tributaries 

 of rivers f'.arn and Tay. 



