i84 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



frequented the garden. During my visit, which lasted a 

 week, no Hawfinch came under my observation. Besides 

 the birds commonly seen about a garden, a pair of Spotted 

 Flycatchers, which appeared to be nesting near, were 

 daily visitors. I have an impression that the species has 

 been seen in Banffshire, but I think the previous farthest 

 north nesting limit is a single instance in Fife. The 

 Hawfinch is, of course, a very shy and secretive bird, 

 and I should not be surprised if it were nesting sparingly 

 in the north-eastern counties. A good many years ago 

 the pea-pods in a Forfarshire garden were severely torn 

 by some strong-billed bird, but it did not occur to those 

 interested until too late that the damage might have been 

 caused by a pair of Hawfinches. After all, the evidence against 

 the nesting of the species in the area referred to is only 

 negative. The Water-rail, for instance, has been seen 

 in this district and is believed to be resident, but I know 

 of no person who has seen its nest. It is astonishing 

 how few people in the country know anything of the more 

 uncommon kinds of birds. 



Nesting of the White Wagtail on Lower Deeside. This 



year (1920) a pair of White Wagtails {Motacilla alba) built a nest 

 in the wall-ivy at Crossroads, Durris, and completed a clutch of 

 five eggs on 8th June. White Wagtails have been seen in the 

 neighbourhood during the last three springs, but this year the nest 

 was in the ivy of my garden wall and under view of the window at 

 twenty yards distance. The birds were therefore under constant 

 close observation ; both were light grey on the back and white on 

 the cheeks, and there can be no doubt that they were distinct from 

 the Pied Wagtail with which they have been sometimes confounded. 

 The eggs were distinctly brownish, and the dull white ground-colour 

 was almost concealed by marblings and spots of light brown. I 

 am aware of the scarcity of records of the White Wagtail as a 

 nesting species in Scotland, but I imagine that part of the "rarity" 

 may be due to want of careful observation. In any case I am con- 

 vinced that the bird is extending its range in our area. Alex. 

 Macdonald, Durris. 



