142 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



The weather in July 1888 was phenomenally cold, 

 with a succession of bitter gales from E.— N.E., and 

 N., and snow was reported on the Cumberland hills. 

 This probably settled the fate of the sandgxouse. But 

 they were doomed, in any case, as all such wanderers 

 are ; and not even an Act of Parliament, specially 

 passed to protect them, could retard their destiny by a 

 single hour. 



The following is an extract from the letter which 

 accompanied a second pair sent me : — "They were very 

 tame ; there were flocks of 200 or 300, and I passed 

 within 30 yards. The nearest birds were lying on their 

 sides, 'howking' with one foot like molerats." 



Of the four birds sent us, two males weighed 10 oz. 

 each ; the females, 9} and io| oz. They were good 

 eating, of grouse-like flavour, the flesh of the inner part 

 of the breast being white, as in blackgame. All four 

 were partially moulting : the testes and ovaries well- 

 developed, the latter in varying degree. 



Hooded Crow [Corvus comix). 



Though usually regarded as a purely winter migrant, 

 an odd pair will occasionally remain to breed among 

 the Cheviot hills. Thus in April 1890, my brother 

 Alfred, with Mr V. W. Corbett, found a nest with young 

 in the College-burn, behind Cheviot. Both parents 

 were grey, but the five young were black. Mr Corbett 

 writes me : " We only found that one hoodie's nest. 

 It was on Southern Knowe. The young had evidently 

 just left the nest, and could only fly a short distance 

 — perhaps 50 yards. They managed, however, to keep 

 out of our way when we ran after and tried to catch 



