OBSEKVED IN JUNE 1833. 21 



progressive motion, that we see used by all the natatores and true 

 diving birds. The fry and spawn of fishes, insects, and caddis bait, 

 which is the larva of different species of phryganea, constitute its 

 principal food. To obtain the latter in winter, when the rivers are 

 mostly fi'ozen over, it resorts to such places as remain partially open, 

 as the heads of quick running streams : In such situations on the Annan, 

 Tweed, and other rivers, I have repeatedly seen it dive into the stream 

 from the margin of the ice, remain some time submerged, and again 

 reappear near the same spot, and almost invariably with a prey in its 

 biU, which it leisurely devoured on the ice. 



During our excursion to Coldingham and the romantic scenery of St 

 Abb's Head on the 19th of June, besides the birds communicated to 

 the Club last autumn, the coot {Fulica atra) was observed upon Cold- 

 ingham Lough, where it no doubt breeds in the rushes and other 

 aquatic herbage at the northern extremity of this prettily formed piece 

 of water. A large flock of herring-gulls {Lams argentatus) was also 

 seen bathing and sporting in it ; and these, I afterwards found, had 

 their breeding stations on particular parts of the Head, and the rocky 

 cliffs to the north of it. This species had not been observed during 

 our excursion in Jidy 1832, having taken its departure from those 

 haunts previous to our visit ; the common gull {Larus camis), which 

 breeds in great numbers on the rock to the south of the Head, being 

 the only species then visible. 



Upon reaching the cliffs immediately north of the Head, and where 

 they rise from the sea in fine broken and perpendicular faces to the 

 height of 300 or 400 feet, our attention was attracted by the powerful 

 and hoarse cry of a large species of Falco, two of which were seen 

 soaring and wheeling in the air at a considerable height, immediately 

 in front of us. These I immediately recognised to be a male and 

 female of the Falco peregrinus or common falcon. A nearer inspection 

 of the precipice soon discovered to us the cause of their alarm and 

 vociferous outcries, as we perceived two young birds (which the differ- 

 ence of size shewed to be male and female) perched vipon a projecting 

 angle of the rock. From their comparative tameness, and the short 

 flights they took, when disturbed, along the face of the rock, it was 

 evident they had but very lately quitted the nest. A shot was obtained 

 at the young female within reasonable distance, and supposed to 

 have taken fatal effect, as it was never seen afterwards, though the 

 smaller bird remained visible as long as we continued on the heights. 

 This eyrie of the peregrine has long been established, and it was from 

 it that the late Mr Baird of Newbyth usually obtained his cast of 

 hawks, for each of which he gave the persons who undertook the 

 perilous task of scaling the precipice one guinea. The castings of these 

 birds were scattered in great profusion upon the tops of the cliffs ; 

 some which I examined were almost wholly composed of the bones and 

 feathers of gulls and other aquatic fowl, others were mixed with the 

 feathers of partridges, and the bones of rabbits, and young hares, 



