Zoological Memoranda, by Mr James Hardy. 427 



now and then, and making rushes at the Borbori on the 

 grass piles, or diligently picking them off. This bird seldom 

 travels a field-breadth from the sea. I once saw the bird 

 take umbrage to a young rabbit, which had approached it too 

 closely. Having startled the timid animal, it pursued it on 

 wing till it had regained its retreat. 



Blue Tit-mouse (Parus cceruleus). — This season a pair 

 of Tit-mouses have selected as a place for building their nest, 

 the letter box at Spy law, near Kelso ; and curiously enough, 

 another pair have chosen the letter box at Softlaw. In both 

 instances eggs were in the nest ; but some boys having ascer- 

 tained where the nests were, maliciously cut the box, and 

 took away the eggs. (" Berwick Advertiser," May 31, 1872.) 



Bohemian Waxwing, {Bombycilla garruld). — Mr Wilson 

 of Coldingham, writes that on the 11th of May, 1872, a 

 Bohemian Waxwing was seen at Hallydown, and shortly 

 after a bird of this kind was shot at Coldingham, which he 

 has seen and examined. Several years since, my brother 

 observed two of these birds near the post-road, between 

 Penmanshiel and Grant's House. 



Food of the Mountain Fi-NCn,(Fringilla Montifringilla). 

 — Mr Edward Allen informs me that three years ago, during 

 winter, a large flock of the Mountain Finch visited Alnwick, 

 and fed on the beech mast ; and great numbers were caught 

 and destroyed by boys, He writes : " I got information that 

 large flocks of birds were in a wood in the Park. They kept 

 at first to a cluster of firs ; but in a few days they took to the 

 beech trees, and fed on the mast. The number was prodigious 

 — they moved in clouds ; but their number soon diminished, 

 as they were easily caught. A few Blue Tits were always 

 mixed up with them. They continued with us for three 

 weeks, when the weather opened." This remark is interest- 

 ing, as the native food of the bird is not sufficiently ascertained. 

 Mr St, John (" Nat. History and Sport in Moray," p. 281) 

 made the observation, " I have seen them more often about 

 beech trees than any other ; but this may be the effect of 

 chance." Mr Gray ("Birds of the West of Scotland," p. 138) 

 remarks that Mr Alston found the gizzard of a male in 

 autumn, 1869, " full of fragments of the kernels of nuts, 

 seemingly hazel." Query, was it not beech mast ? 



House Sparrow. — May 31. I noticed the peculiarity of a 

 Sparrow occupied in pulling at the leaves of a cherry tree till 



