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.
Turdus pilaris [The Fieldfare].
A winter visitor. We call them “Hielan’-pyats,” that is “Highland piets.” They arrive in October, and depart in April. Some seasons they occur in thousands, but in others only sparingly.
Turdus musicus [The Song Thrush or Mavis].
Usually very common in this neighbourhood, but becoming superseded by the missel thrush. (For its singing propensities see [p. 269].) 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 offered, the old one knocks them soundly on the head with his bill until they did so. I have observed this frequently, and was not a little amused at it.
Turdus iliacus [The Redwing].
A winter visitor, like the fieldfare, but not nearly so numerous.
Turdus merula [The 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.
Turdus torquatus [The Ring Ouzel].