1885-86.] Edinburgh Naturalists^ Field Club. 291 



so long as it does not contain young birds ; but for these latter they 

 evince much solicitude, alighting quite near to an intruder and 

 manifesting distress by their gestures and the rapid utterance of 

 a note which is somewhat like " veet." Another note — '' chuck- 

 tuck " — is used by turns on these occasions. When sitting quiet, 

 the male may be heard to utter a low, plaintive note, resembling 

 the ordinary call of the Bullfinch [Pyrrhula europcea) as it is heard 

 at a distance ; and its song, which is audible some way off, is not 

 unlike that of the Cole Tit [Parus ater). They are courageous 

 birds, and will sometimes drive another species away from their 

 nest. A male Pied Flycatcher was shot in the grounds of Stobo 

 Castle on May 22, 1879, and is now in my possession. 



The Raven [Corviis corax) has now become a stranger in the 

 district, insomuch that his once familiar name of " Corbie " is rarely 

 used except by the older residents. For many years back his ap- 

 pearances have unfortunately been few, and his stay of short dura- 

 tion. Two or three were observed on the hills in the autiimn of 

 1882, and one was shot at that time in the neighbouring parish of 

 Lyne. Last autumn one again appeared on the hills for a short 

 period, its presence being much resented by the Carrion Crows 

 {Corvus corone), which flew around and buffeted him in his flight. 

 I am informed that a pair bred this year in a rocky precipice called 

 " Bitch Craig," in the adjoining parish of Manor, but the young 

 were harried from the nest to be tamed, and kept as interesting 

 pets. Last year another nest was built at the same place, which 

 also suffered spoliation ; and thus the birds have been twice frus- 

 trated in their attempts to maintain the existence of the small 

 remnant now left in the Lowlands of Scotland. 



Two very beautiful Waxwings {Bombycilla garrula) were shot by 

 a labourer near the Manse of Stobo on 26th January 1882. They 

 were feeding at the time on the berries of the Hawthorn, which 

 they seem to pick off and swallow entire. The pair showed little 

 distrust when approached, admitting a close inspection, so that the 

 quiet demeanour of the bird would seem to be expressive of its 

 disposition. Upwards of twenty years ago one was shot out of 

 a small flock near the same place, the numerous Hawthorn trees in 

 the vicinity having then also been the attraction. 



Next on the list is the Red-throated Pipit {Anthus cervinus). I 

 have never had an opportunity of handling a specimen of this 

 species, but after a careful scrutiny of the coloured plate and per- 

 usal of the accompanying description in Morris's ' British Birds,' 

 I feel quite assured that I once saw a flock of eight or ten in the 

 parish. They were feeding on a bank of short turf, near a road 

 which ran close to one of the larger burns in this neighbourhood. 

 It was a spot where Meadow Pipits (Anthus pratensls) are fre- 

 quently seen, and at the first sight of their graceful running mo- 



