On some of the Birds of Lauderdale, by Andrew Kelly. 143 



the Buzzard, traps were set at the remains of the rabbit, and 

 others, in likely places, were baited with rabbits and pigeons; 

 but it was a fortnight before it was secured at its old prey. 



When caught it measured as follows : — Extent of wings, 51 

 inches ; length, 21 ; wing from flexure, 17 ; bill along the ridge, 

 1J; tarsi, 2£, completely feathered; middle toe, 1 J ; claw, £ ; 

 1st feather of the wing, 3 inches shorter than the second ; 2nd, 

 If shorter than the third ; 3rd, i shorter than fourth ; the 4th 

 the longest. Head and neck gray, a broad patch of very deep 

 brown on the breast (comes down to the legs), all the upper parts 

 dark and light brown ; tail 9 inches, 4 of which are pure white 

 from the root downwards, the remaining 5 inches brown — a 

 princely bird. 



Oinclus aqtjaticus. — I have heard it several times reported, 

 that the Water Crow never builds a nest without incorporating 

 one or two oak leaves in the structure. To be certain, I have 

 examined several nests in this locality, and had the pleasure of 

 noticing the charm in them all, sometimes two leaves, but never 

 more than three ; the rest being mostly of the beech ; and I may 

 say that one or two of the nests were in places where the oak 

 trees preponderate, and the result was the same. In a nest, 

 which I examined in the Routing-linn, Lauder, where there was 

 neither oak nor beech growing, the leaves of both were repre- 

 sented. 



Turdus Mertjla. — A Blackbird's nest was found by George 

 Broomfield in a hedgerow near Blackshiels, having four young 

 ones, three of theni being pure white, and the fourth pure black. 

 The discoverer had them removed to his own home ; and six 



months afterwards sold the white trio for three guineas. 



Albinism is not rare among the Eing-ouzels and the Fieldfares. 

 As an instance of melanism, I have this year, 1877, once or twice 

 seen a pure black Sparrow. 



Sylvia atbicapilla. — This warbler, although far from being 

 rare in the south and east of Berwickshire, was a perfect stranger 

 to Lauderdale till last year, when Mr Scott found in the policies 

 of Thirlstane Castle a dead specimen which had been entangled 

 by the feet amongst some wool. No mate was then or afterwards 

 seen. The great barrier to small birds of this kind getting into 

 Lauderdale is that treeless extent between Dunse and Lauder. 



Sylvia sylvicola. — These gay birds, the Wood Warblers, are 

 very plentiful in the old fir woods, at the Luggy, near Lauder. 



