Transactions. 73 



entangled in the tufts of grass. — We are at a considerable 

 distance from the river, and have no bums near us, and so 

 the Wagtail does not breed at Mountainhall ; but every 

 September, without fail, we have numbers of them running 

 about the slate and stone roofs. I fancy they get young 

 spiders there and then. The Pied Wagtail, like the Thrush, 

 is seldom seen with us in winter. These partial migrations 

 of our common birds are very obscure. I see the Yellow 

 Wagtail sometimes in spring, about the comers of fields of 

 young com ; but it is rare about Dumfries. The Grey 

 Wagtail, from having a good deal of yellow about it, is often 

 mistaken for the Yellow Wagtail. — Of the migratory birds 

 we have an average number. The Blackcap and Redstart 

 visit us occasionally, but do not breed at Mountainhall. Our 

 northern friends, the Fieldfare and Redwing, come to us 

 about the middle of October. Some naturalists hold that 

 the Redwing comes a little before the Fieldfare, but I 

 have not been able to detect this. Redwings are few in 

 number compared with the Fieldfares ; and, when the full 

 rigour of our "wdnter comes, they are seen to be much softer 

 birds : many of them get detached from the main flock, 

 which they seem unable to follow, and make their way to 

 warmer places, near the habitations of men. In severe 

 weather, I have often seen them distressed and weak in 

 the low Dock meadow at Dumfries. I have made special 

 reference to the Fieldfares, chiefly for the sake of venturing 

 to state as a fact that, for two or three years bypast, they 

 have stayed with us later in the spring than usual : nay, the 

 flock has been with us in May. What instinct as to weather, 

 here or in their own high latitudes, has caused this delay of 

 departure, may be easily guessed at, but is not so easily 

 determined. Of the Spotted Flycatcher, never more than 

 one pair comes and breeds at Mountainhall. Last summer 

 our pair had two broods : this is contrary to the opinion of 

 many naturalists. As our little visitant insists on building 

 low down in some elbow of the strong hairy arms of the ivy 

 clasping one or two of our old ash trees (for the ivy prefers 



