44 Transactions. 



wing-shaking progeny. Wishing to prevent too great an in- 

 crease of them I on one occasion, seeing a pair busy building 

 iu a hole of a wall, stopped the opening with a loose stone. 

 About a week after I noticed the cock fly to that hole repeat- 

 edly as if seeking an entrance, but on closely watching him 

 I discovered to my horror that I had imprisoned the hen bird, 

 and that he was feeding her through a narrow opening, 

 having evidently done so all the time of her imprisonment. 

 It is needless to say that I at once gave the poor bird her 

 freedom, and saw her join her faithful mate apparently none 

 the worse of her solitary confinement for so long a period. 



Of the Chaffinch I have little to say, except that it breeds 

 yearly with us, there being generally two nests within the 

 limits of the garden. Some three years ago I noticed that a 

 pair who had been prevented from bringing up their young 

 by the accidental destruction of their nest on two occasions, 

 at length fixed it on the top of a stout stake, forming part 

 of the Espalier on which the black currants before mentioned 

 are grown, and each year since the nest has been similarly 

 placed. The choice of locality is certainly an uncommon one 

 with the Chaffinch, and may lead to the inference that the 

 bird is possessed of a considerable degree of reasoning power. 

 Both male and female become pretty familiar, but I have 

 never been able to make one so pet as was Mr Aird's 

 " Jenny." 



The Pied and Grey Wagtails frequent the fountain prin- 

 cipally in the autumn, and by four or five at a time. They 

 — " the smallest bird that walks" — are most interesting and 

 graceful. The Pied Wagtail two years ago bred in one of the 

 gargoyles or spouts of the Old Bridge, and more than once 

 I had to scare away a ragged urchin making vigorous but 

 happily unsuccessful efforts to reach the young birds, while 

 the parents sat literally trembling for their safety upon the 

 Telegraphic wire near by. The Qrey Wagtail breeds in 

 holes of the wall bounding the tail race of the Dumfries Mills. 

 In connection with these birds' familiar name of Water Wag- 



