THE EAVEN. 247 



farm of Northfield, occupied by the late Mr, Herriot. No 

 sooner did a ewe roll over on her back, and fail to right 

 herself, than she was pounced upon by the Eavens, which 

 pecked out her eyes. Ever on the alert, they never missed 

 a chance, and many a poor sheep and lamb suffered from 

 their audacity. The patience of the shepherds could stand 

 their behaviour no longer ; and Andrew Weatherston, the 

 head man, hit upon a plan which effectually put a stop 

 to their depredations. Having obtained a tar-barrel, and 

 attached a chain and a long rope to it, he went to Earnsheugh 

 at night. He had previously made himself acquainted with 

 the exact situation of their nest in the inaccessible cliffs, and, 

 getting his tar-barrel lighted, he hoisted it over the rocks to 

 the nest, destroying the young, and frightening the old birds 

 from the coast entirely for some time." -^ About 1873 two 

 birds of this species were shot on Coldingham Moor by James 

 Blythe, gamekeeper, Netherbyres, and were presented to the 

 Museum of Science and Art in Edinburgh, Mr, Hardy records 

 that on the 24th of July 1874, a young Eaven appeared at 

 Siccar Point, and that, on the 4th of August following, three 

 young ones were seen frequenting that place,^ In the 

 previous year a specimen was caught in a rabbit trap in 

 Edgarhope Wood, Lauderdale, where the bird is now looked 

 upon as a rare visitor,^ A Eaven was seen at a dead horse 

 near Oldcambus on the 23rd October 1876,^ and two were 

 noticed on the sea- banks near Burnmouth on the 4th of 

 December following.^ Mr, James Smith, shepherd, Byre- 

 cleugh, tells me that, about 1877, two were seen on 

 Greencleugh Ridge in August, and one of them was shot 

 by the Duke of Eoxburghe, A Eaven frequented Lam- 

 berton Moor in January 1879,^ and about the same 



1 Hist. Her. Nat. Club, vol. xi. p. 245. 



2 Ibid. vol. vii. p. 281. -^ Hid. vol. vii. p. 303. 

 ■* Mr. Hardy's MJS. Notes. 



^ Hist, Ber. Nat. Club, vol. viii. p. 179. " Ibid. vol. viii. p. 505, 



