144 On some of the Birds of Lauderdale, by Andrew Kelly 



Anthtts arboretjs. — The Tree Pipet is perhaps on the increase 

 in Lauderdale. I find it is often mistaken for the Wood-lark, 

 and is familiarly so denominated. 



Fringilla Monttfringilla. Mountain Finch. For dissection, 

 two were shot at Newmills, a male and female, from among 

 numerous others feeding in a mixed state with other finches, in 

 a turnip field on which sheep were netted. The contents of the 

 stomachs of both were nearly alike ; a great deal of dark looking 

 stuff mixed with corn, and small quartzes. The dark stuff 

 appeared to be oil-cake, which they had probably picked from 

 the sheep boxes ; and the corn at the same time. At Lylestone, 

 a few more, in the like society of Sparrows and Chaffinches, 

 were foraging all over the barnyard, when the weather was fine. 

 "When the labourers were in hands with the lint at Pilmoor, Mr 

 Wilkie, the manager, said they were for certain doubling their 

 numbers every year. They are very fond too of the small seeds 

 of plants, which they find in stubble-fields. Mr Eenton tells me 

 there were hundreds of the Mountain Finch at Threeburnford, 

 near Oxton, which had fed all the winter amongst the hens. 



Pvrrhula vtjegaris. — Bullfinch. Thirty years ago, there was 

 not a Bullfinch in Lauderdale. Now, I am happy to say, they 

 are becoming prevalent. Last year I saw a great number feed- 

 ing on the seed of the common ling, but haws seem to be their 

 favourite food. 



Sturntts vulgaris. — In the heavy snow storms, last spring, 

 1876, the Starlings frequented in great bands the places where 

 the sheep had been lying during the night, and eagerly ransacked 

 the melted oval spots cleared down to the soil. If a worm re- 

 warded the search, then the finder commenced pulling it upwards 

 till it was properly unearthed without breaking. Sometimes to 

 accomplish this feat, when the worm was long, the Starling had 

 to stand on its tip-toes, with its neck stretched to the utmost ; 

 and when this would not do, I have seen one forced to gain a 

 little more elevation, to mount a stone. During summer, Star- 

 lings alight on the backs of sheep to pick off the hades, which 

 they eat with great relish. Jackdaws do the same. 



Troglodytes Europ^us. — Should you be wandering in the 

 wildest and out-of-the-way glens in the Lammermoors, you will 

 invariably forgather with the Wren and its great crony, the 

 Water Crow. In one of these glens — Earnscleugh — Walter 



