NATURE NOTES. 267 
bird is now in the possession of T. Scott Anderson, Esq., 
Lintalee. Mr Hancock, “Catalogue of Birds of Northum- 
berland,” records as noteworthy the finding of an exhausted 
Little Auk by Laws of Breckny Hill—‘“a pupil of the 
famous bird-engraver, Bewick of Newcastle ”—at a distance 
of “ten miles from sea”! GrorGE Fyre, LL.D. 
NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF STRAVITHIE. 
DurinG recent years a great diminution has taken place in 
this district in the numbers of the following species, viz., 
the House and Sand Martins, especially the latter, and the 
Woodcock. On the other hand the Partridge and Pied 
Wagtail are decidedly on the increase. Owing to systematic 
and continued persecution the Carrion Crow and Magpie 
are rapidly becoming exterminated; the Grey Wagtail is at 
all times very rare. W. BERWICK. 
NoTE ON BEES AT MUSSELBURGH. 
Durine the last three or four years I have paid several 
visits yearly to the banks of the Esk at Musselburgh in 
search of bees. I have taken sixteen species there (not 
counting Apis mellifica) within quite a small area. The list 
does not claim to be an exhaustive one of the locality, but 
is perhaps worthy of mention in our 7’ransactions as a slight 
contribution to our local entomology. 
Of the genus Halictus I have taken three species :— 
rubicundus (Chr.), cylindricus (Fab.), and nitidiusculus 
(Kirb.), all burrowing along the sides of footpaths and in 
hard ground. Cylindricus is especially common, rubicundus 
the least so. Generally in April, sometimes not until May, 
the females may be seen, after waking from their winter 
sleep, busy excavating their burrows and storing up food for 
