2872 Quadrupeds — Birds. 



suffered, but trees of large dimensions also, and which have not yet regained their 

 outer coating. The poplar, larch, and beech, suffered the most. So that we, like the 

 Rev. Mr. Bree, were compelled against our inclination to reduce their numbers 

 somewhat, and had no less than 250 killed, yet we still have plenty. Mr. Bree al- 

 ludes to his losing his nuts : we have yearly to put up with a considerable loss in this 

 way. I find they generally commence their attack on our nuts, when their winter 

 store is finished, and the kernels are about the size of a pin's head: they do not remain 

 in the nut-bushes, but having procured a good sized bunch, off they start to some 

 favorite tree. They serve our walnuts in the same manner : and it is a very frequent 

 occurrence to see three or four squirrels at a time running across the lawn, or over 

 some gravel walk, with a bunch of green walnuts in their mouths, nor will they drop 

 them even when hard pursued, till they have reached a tree, when up they go, and 

 out of danger, clasping the nuts in their paws, commence chattering at one, as much 

 as to say, " I am out of your reach ; catch me if you can." From this tree of escape 

 they will descend when all is quiet, and scamper off to their hiding place ; and having 

 deposited their load, return for a similar one. At this sport of theirs we have 

 watched them for hours at different times. The Rev. Mr. Bree is perfectly correct, 

 in our opinion, when he says that squirrels " have, generally speaking, instinct enough 

 to discard the light nut that contains no kernel." We have gathered as much as a 

 bushel of such nuts from the bushes to one half of sound ones, which had been left 

 by Mr. Squirrel as our share. They are particularly fond of apples, and cherries, 

 the former of which they carry off as they do the walnuts, for their winter stores, 

 from which we have taken (but replaced) apples, pears, walnuts, filberts, nuts, chest- 

 nuts, mast, acorns, plum and cherry stones. — J. Mc'Intosh ; Milton Abbey, June, 1850. 



A List of the Birds of Roxburghshire. 

 By Archibald Jerdon, Esq. 



As I do not think the readers of the ' Zoologist' have had much in- 

 formation as to the Ornithology of the South of Scotland, I have 

 drawn up the following list of the birds of this county, derived from 

 the observations of about ten years, chiefly in the neighbourhood of 

 Jedburgh, and which I trust may not be uninteresting, as showing the 

 differences between this and other districts, of the Ornithology of which 

 lists have already been recorded in the ' Zoologist.' 



I may remark that we have considerable variety of soil and situation 

 in Roxburghshire, but are deficient in woods of any extent, and also 

 in lakes or ponds, of which scarcely any are to be found. 



I. Resident Natives, 38. 



Kestrel Common Buzzard 



Sparrow Hawk Barn Owl 



Hen Harrier Dipper 



