254 THE ORNITHOLOGY OF BERWICKSHIRE. 



culture, and to the inclosure of those wastes and open lands which, in 

 a natural state, produced a more abundant supply of caterpillars, the 

 favourite food of the cuckoo, than they now do under the system of 

 husbandry to which they are subjected. 



Of the Columbidae belonging to the Basorial order, we possess two 

 permanent residents, viz. the ring-dove or cushat (Columba palumbus), 

 a most abundant species ; but from the injury it commits on the young 

 clovers and the turnip-fields, is held as an enemy, and proscribed by 

 the farmer ; the other is the rock-pigeon, the original stock of our 

 dovecot pigeons, which inhabits the cavernous precipices along the coast. 

 As an occasional visitant we are also able to .add the turtle-dove to the 

 list, a small flock having visited the neighbourhood of Berwick this last 

 autumn. 



Of the Phasianids&, the only member is a permanent resident; and 

 of the Tetraonidse three are permanent residents, and one, the quail, 

 which we have met with at Cornhill and other parts within our limits, 

 an occasional visitant. 



Of the Otidae, or bustard family, we have ventured to insert the 

 Otis tetrax (little bustard), a single specimen having been killed within 

 half a mile of Twizell. 



Of the Ardeadse, or heron group, belonging to the order Grallatores, 

 we reckon three species ; one a permanent resident, the other two, viz. 

 the bittern (Botaurus steUaris) and the night heron (Nycticorax eu.ro- 

 peeus), rare visitants. A fine specimen of the latter was killed some 

 years ago at the Hirsel, and presented to the Edinburgh museum by 

 the Earl of Home. 



Of the Scolopaceous family, there are two permanent residents, one 

 periodical summer visitant, seven periodical winter visitants, and seven 

 occasional visitants. Among the latter we may mention as rare, the 

 green sandpiper (Totanus ochropus), the greenshank (Totanus glottis), 

 the solitary snipe (Scolopax major), the ruff (Machetis pugnax) in its 

 winter plumage, and generally young birds of the year, and the grey 

 phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) ; the only summer visitant of the family 

 is the Totanus hypoleucos (common sandpiper), a neat clean looking 

 bird, well known to the angler, and whose wing-feathers often assist 

 him in taking his finny prey. 



Of the Rallidae there are five members, three of which are periodical 

 summer visitants, one a permanent resident, and one a periodical winter 

 visitant. To the first belongs the Corncrake, whose well known grating 

 call is first heard towards the end of May, in the meadow-lands, parti- 

 cularly those adjoining the margins of the Tweed, the Whitadder, and 

 other streams. Of the Plovers, or family Charadriadse, there are three 



