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



hatching season, when the "broods are large, that the male Par- 

 tridge must provide sleeping accommodation under his own wing, 

 for such of the nestlings as cannot find shelter under the hen. 

 In such cases the pair sit close together, each looking a different 

 way. I recollect seeing pure white broods for many years at 

 Boon and East Mains, Lauder ; and when these grew up, these 

 birds all more or less shewed the white feathers, there being some 

 particular beauties with white throats and wings. 



Charadrius Morinelltts. — I formerly noticed the Dotterel as 

 frequenting Lauderdale. I am again told that these birds used 

 to remain for a week or two on all our uplands, when on their 

 way to the north. During that interval, they were eagerly shot 

 for the table. Of late, however, they are never seen, even on 

 the Lammermoors, except at Broadshawrig, a farm belonging 

 to the Earl of Lauderdale, where a few still remain to breed. 

 This is also the sole habitat for the Merlin Ealcon, nesting on the 

 rugged heathery braes ; and in some measure the Kestrel also. 



Ardea cinerea. — One day, about a mile above Longcroft, a 

 Heron, hungry from its nest, was watched as it alighted at a 

 small waterfall in a mountain stream, where fishing could be 

 easily obtained ; and as the blue feathers afterwards shewed us, 

 this had not been its first visit. "We allowed the bird to proceed 

 with its operations for an hour, after which it was shot dead on 

 the wing, and four large trouts were excluded from its throat by 

 the fall, all of them freshly caught. This is its rate of fishing in 

 clear water. But in the case of a spate, when the waters are 

 swollen and drumly, its fare will be greatly augmented, as it 

 then knowingly fishes near the side, where the trouts lie grouped 

 together for shelter in the calm water. Again, when the waters 

 are "fallen in," these birds wading about in the pools, where 

 great numbers of trouts have been thrown in by the storm, de- 

 vour ad libitum. In the spring the Heron resorts to the hills and 

 searches the sheep-drains for frogs, like the Common Hoodie ; 

 and in a pinch it preys on rats and mice. Once I saw one com- 

 mit the fatal mistake of venturing to pick up a Weasel. The 

 Weasel nothing daunted kept wriggling about, till it seized the 

 Heron by the back of the neck, and held on like a bull-dog. 

 The Heron finding itself overmatched, tried to shake off the 

 wicked thing ; but this proving ineffectual, it rose far into the 

 air, when something was seen to drop. This must have been the 



