84 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



of " the common objects of the sea-shore " along the coast of the 

 borough, and the adjoining parts of Berwickshire. It is gener- 

 ally found in little parties of from two or three to half a dozen 

 individuals, but not unfrequently twice or thrice that number may 

 be seen together, while considerable flocks are often heard passing 

 over the town at night. 



It is usually one of the first of the autumn migrants to put in an 

 appearance, and is also seen very late, sometimes, on the return 

 journey in spring. Thus I find from my note-books that several 

 were noticed about the rocks behind the pier, from the 8th to the 

 nth June 1887; while, in the same year, southward-bound birds 

 were heard passing over as early as the 2ist July. In 1893 Captain 

 Norman and I listened to the call notes of numbers of Whimbrels, 

 and Godwits, flying over his house in Castle Terrace, late in the 

 evening of igth May; and on 23rd June following I saw three 

 Whimbrels at Newton-by-the-Sea, in Northumberland. On 26th May 

 1895 a single bird was frequenting a field near Scremerston. It 

 seems unnecessary to particularise further; but, as Mr. Muirhead 

 regards the Whimbrel as such a rare bird in Berwickshire, I may 

 add that, in addition to its regular appearance on the coast about 

 Lamberton, and Burnmouth, I have also met with it at Eyemouth, 

 Coldingham, and near Fast Castle. 



GAVI^E. 



BLACK TERN, Hydrochelidon nigra (Linnseus). A rare visitant 

 on migration in autumn. On 9th October 1878, I shot an im- 

 mature specimen in the harbour here, and it is still in my collection. 

 On nth September 1886, my brother saw an adult at the same 

 place, hawking about after floating refuse, along with the gulls, and 

 it several times passed so close to him, as he stood upon the quay, 

 that identification was assured. Three, in immature plumage, were 

 observed at Holy Island for about a fortnight at the end of September 

 1892, and two of them, which were shot from a punt on the 5th 

 October, are preserved in the Newcastle Museum. Another, also a 

 young bird, was observed there in the second week in August in 

 the following year. 



Mr. Muirhead records one, from the MS. notes of Dr. Johnston, 

 as having been obtained near Coldstream, on gth May 1851. 



CASPIAN TERN, Sterna caspia, Pallas. The only record for the 

 district is by Mr. J. H. Gurney, in a paper giving a resume of the 

 occurrences of the Caspian Tern in England ("Zoologist," 1887, p. 

 458), and is referred to as "One, Fame Islands, 6th June 1880, 

 seen by Mr. E. Bidwell, but not obtained." 



SANDWICH TERN, Sterna cantiaca (J. F. Gmelin). A summer 

 migrant, which breeds plentifully at the Fame Islands, and still 



