285 

 Zoological Notes, 1874. By Andrew Brotherston, Kelso. 



Woodcock (Scolopax rusticola), Pen. — One got near 

 Kelso on April 4th, 1874. From the lateness of the season, 

 it is not unlikely that it might have bred in the district. In 

 the beginning of March, 1875, 1 had an example from Duns- 

 dale, Cheviot. 



One Reason why the Kingfisher is not more Common. 

 — One of the chief causes of the comparative scarcity of the 

 Kingfisher, is, I believe, occasioned by a sudden rise of the 

 rivers during the breeding season. In the beginning of April, 

 1874, the Tweed rose to nine feet during the night. Now, 

 most (indeed, all that I have seen) of their nests are placed 

 nearer the level of the water than that ; and as it is an early 

 breeder (I knew an instance in which the eggs were taken 

 the second time from the same pair of birds, on the 10th of 

 April), many of them would in all probability be drowned ; 

 more especially as the hole in which the nest (?) is placed 

 slopes upwards, so that the entrance might be closed by the 

 rising water some time ere it could reach the bird. For 

 some years prior to 1874, there had been no great rise of the 

 rivers during the breeding season : consequently, the King- 

 fishers increased greatly, at least, in this district ; but this 

 year so far as my own observation extends, and from what 

 I can learn from others — who are in the way to know — they 

 are much scarcer. A severe winter is frequently blamed for 

 this, but it is not applicable in the present case, as the winter 

 of 1873-4 was unusually mild. A hard winter does not seem 

 to hurt the Kingfisher. I had two at the beginning of the 

 late storm, and one at the end of it (on New Year's Day) ; 

 the last killed was in as good condition as the others, being 

 equally fat, and had the remains of numerous small fish in 

 its stomach. 



How the Swift Regains Possession of its Old Nest. 

 — Owing to the great increase in the numbers of most of 

 our smaller birds during recent years — more particularly 

 Starlings and Sparrows, which nest in holes — the old nests 

 of the Swift are usually occupied when they arrive. Know- 

 ing that they could not remove the Sparrows by force, they 

 frighten them out in the following manner. A number of 

 them fly together in Indian file, circling round and round, 

 uttering their harsh discordant screams every time they 

 pass the entrance to the hole they wish to regain possession 



