Zoological Notes, by Mr. Andrew Broth erston, Kelso. 287 



" believes that there exist sufficient differences in the organ- 

 isation and colour of the two to constitute them distinct 

 species." Mr. Bell does not appear to have seen fresh speci- 

 mens, only a stuffed one belonging to Mr. Yarrell. Since 

 writing this notice, I have seen Mr. Cockburn, Westwood 

 Cottage, which is close on Sharpitlaw Anna, and learned 

 from him that he had frequently seen Black Water Kats 

 about the dam and the Anna. The first time he observed 

 one was upwards of twenty years ago, when there was one 

 caught in a mole-trap in Hendersyde Park garden, which is 

 four or five hundred yards from the river. He had noticed 

 the inferior size of the black variety to the common. 



Whimbbel (Numenius phceopus), Pen. — A fine male 

 specimen of this miniature Curlew was shot in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Lambden, near Greenlaw, in the beginning of 

 September. This is a rare bird with us, but it appears to be 

 not uncommon in some parts of the country. 



Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris), Flem. — Some of the larger 

 birds of prey are still occasionaLy to be met with in this 

 country. But, excepting the Peregrine, I am not aware of 

 any of them having bred recently in this district ; so that 

 we may only consider them as stragglers with us. About 

 the middle of September, 1874, I saw a large bird alight on 

 a tree in a plantation near Proctor's Smithy, about two miles 

 south-east from Kelso. Wishing to ascertain which of our 

 large hawks it was, I went to see, and got under the tree 

 upon which it was perched before it rose ; when I had no 

 doubt of its being the common Buzzard. I could see the 

 bars and markings of the wings and tail against the clear 

 sky, as distinctly as if held in the hand. It is a striking 

 bird when seen on the wing, especially as I saw this one. 

 When it rose from the tree, it soared spirally upwards, 

 scarcely moving its wings until nearly out of sight. A short 

 time after I left the place I saw it descend and land near 

 where it arose from. About an hour afterwards I saw 

 another sailing, about three feet from the ground, along the 

 outskirts of a narrow plantation, near Spylaw. As it passed 

 within 30 yards, I saw that it was of the same species, but 

 a larger and darker-coloured bird. They remained in the 

 neighbourhood for several weeks, having been seen by 

 various people, at different places. — It seems to me that 

 game-preservers, generally (there are now, I believe, some 

 few exceptions), " sit in their own light " in their wholesale 



