BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
In the autumn these birds may be seen in smaU straggUng 
parties, and towards the middle of October a great number 
of our Mistle-Thrushes migrate southwards. 
In defence of its nest or young this bird is most bold, and 
Mr Tom Brown records an attack on an inoffensive fowl * 
Small boys, bent on robbing its nest, have been driven back 
terrified and with their caps knocked off, while a pony 
coming too near has been buffeted and frightened away. 
A curious albinistic variety, shot by me near Capenoch 
(Keir) on August 6th, 1908, is now in the possession of 
Mr. R. Service. 
THE BRITISH SONG-THRUSH. 
Turdus musicus clarkei, Hartert. 
Local names— Mavey ; Mavis. 
" Hark, the mavis' e'ening sang 
Sounding Clouden's woods amang." 
Robert Burns. — " Ca' the yowes to the knowes.'' 
Avery common resident throughout the county; found nesting in all 
fuitaWe localities and penetrating in spring even mto the upland glen, 
and ravines wherever there are any trees or bushes. 
Towards the end of February or in the early days of March, 
those of our nesting Song-Thrushes which had emigrated 
return • but large numbers are seen or heard high overhead 
so late' even as the middle of May, going further north to 
breed Early in October an influx of Thrushes takes place, 
of apparently smaUer and darker birds, such birds at 
this season being particularly noticeable in the turnip- 
fields Some ornithologists have considered these immigrants 
to have a Hebridean originf ; but Dr. Ernst Hartert, 
who has most kindly examined some local skms sent him 
by Mr R. Service and myself, states that he can only 
recognise two races of Song-Thrushes in Europe—" (1) the 
* Trans. D. and Q. Nat. Hist. Soc, December 4th, 1885. 
•j- Mon. of Turdidce, Vol. I., p. 131. 
