156 THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



Hybrids. 



A Drake, believed to be a Mallard x Wigeon hybrid, 

 was seen frequenting Duns Castle Loch in the latter part 

 of March (i. 1914, 1 17). 



Extension of Breeding Range. 



On 20th July a Redstart and four fledged young were 

 hawking flies in a valley at Galson (O.H.) (i. 191 5, 30). 

 This would seem to point to the species having nested 

 there, the first time it has done so in the Outer Hebrides. 

 The first record of the nesting of the Great Crested Grebe 

 in Berwickshire comes from Coldstream, where a pair 

 nested and hatched out their young on Hirsel Loch (Lord 

 Dunglass). 



Summer and Nesting, 



Taking it all over, nesting in 1914 was decidedly early. 

 The season was favourable, and most of the broods seem 

 to have been reared successfully. Wood-warblers were 

 rather more common at Corsemalzie this year, and were 

 unusually plentiful everywhere in East Lothian, in which 

 locality Blackcaps, Linnets, and Tree-sparrows are on the 

 increase. Tree-sparrows are also more plentiful, locally, 

 in Lauderdale ; some nested in cavities in old oak trees, 

 others (a larger colony) in "an ancient castled ruin" by the 

 Leader, The last season or two the birds have become 

 comparatively plentiful in Lauderdale (i. 1914, 287). Sir 

 Herbert Maxwell records an increase of Goldfinches in 

 Wigtownshire, both in migratory flocks and as a breeding 

 species (i, 1914, 189), and this finds confirmation in Mr 

 J. G. Gordon's report of Goldfinches at Corsemalzie in 

 every month of the year, their numbers being largest 

 in winter. Species of which we have records of local 

 increase are Linnets, Stonechats, and Barn-owls in Lauder- 



