104 Zoological Notices, by James^Smail. 



which, called in three syllables, thus: — CucTcoo-hoo : CucTcoo-Jcoo. 

 The last syllable was given with the o short. I thought at first 

 the sound might arise from an echo, as a wood and a quarry are 

 at the place ; but Mr Eiddell, Howf ord, informed me that that 

 was the bird's natural call. A friend has since informed me that 

 he has heard a similar call in Liddesdale ; and said the double 

 note was generally heard after the birds had been for a consider- 

 able time in the neighbourhood. 



Young Cuckoo. — I saw a young Cuckoo in end of August, at 

 Burncastle, Lauderdale. It flew at short distances from place to 

 place before me, for a considerable time ; and was accompanied 

 by a Tit-lark. I thought at first it was a Merlin Hawk. 



Vitality op Eggs. — A friend took an egg from a Pewit's nest ; 

 and after taking it home, seven miles, he gave it a puncture, 

 with a view to blowing it. He, however, heard a cheep from 

 the egg, and laid it aside for a week. He then took it back and 

 placed it in the nest ; and on his next visit he found all the eggs 

 had produced young healthy birds. For the week it was kept, 

 the egg lay on a kitchen mantel-piece. 



Swans. — A summer or two ago, three Swans flew over me at 

 St. Boswells ; an old one and two young ones, apparently. They 

 flew at an elevation of about sixty or eighty yards ; and the 

 whistling of their wings was loud and clear. I presume it must 

 have been from this sound that so many have written about 

 Whistling Swans. 



The sound the Snipe makes when diving and twisting down 

 the air, comes from the wings ; yet some writers say it is from 

 the voice. 



Tame Gulls {Larus argentatus). — I brought a pair of very young 

 Sea Gulls, of the common kind, from the Fame Islands, in 

 August last. They have the run of the garden ; are very pretty, 

 and very tame ; and they are in excellent health. They are so 

 fond of bathing, that in frosty nights they have to be forced 

 from the water, so as to save them from getting frozen-in. They 

 are still darkish brown in colour. Next summer they will get 

 white plumage. They are now full grown. The largest measures 

 in expanse of wing 52 inches, and in length of body, from point 

 of bill to end of tail, 22 inches. 



Brown-Headed Mew (Gavia ridilunda). — These birds nest in 

 immense numbers in Legerwood Moss, Upper Berwickshire. 



