THE ORNITIIOLOOV OF liKRWIOKSlIIRK. 251 



a species still more aquatic in its liabits, on\y one instance, within 

 our limits has yet occurred : its rarity, liowever, is sufficiently 

 accounted for from the paucity of the liird throughout Britain. The 

 honey buzzard (Pemis apivorus) and ash-coloured harrier (Circus 

 eineraeeus) are equally rare ; a single specimen only of the latter has 

 yet occurred. The peregrine falcon {Falco peregrinus) is more frequently 

 seen, and one eyry, at least, is known to most of our members, in the 

 lofty precipice a little to the north of St Abb's Head. Of the Strigidte 

 or owls, there appear to be four species, three of which are resident, 

 and one periodical winter visitant : of the former, the Otus vu/ffuns, 

 long-eared owl, and Strix flammea, barn owl, are both well known and 

 abundant ; the thii"d, the Ulula stridula, tawny owl, though formerly a 

 common species, is now rarely met with. The short-eared owl, Otus 

 hrachyotos, arrives in November, and is frequently met with upon the 

 moors or open fields in rushy ground, where it roosts concealed during 

 the day, except in dark foggy weather, when we haA^e frequently seen 

 it hawking at noon. 



Of the Fissirostral tribe, belonging to the order Insessores, the list 

 contains five periodical summer visitants, and one occasional visitant ; 

 of the former, four belong to the swallow family, and one to the 

 goatsuckers. The occasional visitant is the kingfisher, more remark- 

 able for the richness and beauty of its plumage than the gracefulness 

 of its form. The window swallow, or, as it is frequently called, the 

 white-rumped martlet, breeds in great numbers in the rocky precipices 

 north of Eyemouth, and at St Abb's Head ; these appear to be the 

 natural breeding situations of the species, the eaves of houses and 

 corners of windows being only resorted to where the others are 

 deficient. At Tnchnadamff, in Sutherland, vre recollect observing the 

 species breeding in gi-eat numbers about the precipitous face of the 

 limestone or marble mountain of that district. 



Of the Dentirostral tribe of tlie same order, we enumerate fifteen 

 permanent residents, seventeen periodical summer visitants, two 

 periodical winter visitants, and tlireo occasional visitants. Among the 

 residents, the missel-thrush, which in our yoimger days was considered 

 a very rare bird, has now become common, and during spring and 

 summer may be lieard around every residence uttering its broken lay, 

 which, though loud and sonorous, is greatly inferior in compass and 

 sweetness to that of its congener, the gentle mavis. 



Among the periodical summer visitants, the Sylvidpe, or warbler 

 family, not less interesting for their vocal powers than for their active 

 and lively habits, occupy a prominent station. Among the rarer 

 species we reckon the great(>r pettychaps (Curruca Iwrfeusis), whose 

 notes are rich and liquid, many of them emulating those of the night- 



