Miscellanea, Correspondence, &c, by Mr. Jas. Hardy. 293 



on some ponds as at Nisbet, near Mount-Teviot (Lord 

 Lothian's). The Teal is not a very uncommon bird here. 

 The Cuckoo occurs principally in the upland districts, and 

 on the borders of moors." To this I may add that Mr. Boyd 

 informs me that the Golden Eye Duck frequents in winter 

 the Teviot opposite Ormiston ; and that the Little Grebe is 

 not a rare bird either in the Teviot or the pond near Nisbet. 

 There is also a small Heronry at Ormiston among some tall 

 firs, at a little distance from the house. The Blackcap 

 Warbler and the Grey Flycatcher make the grounds and 

 garden their favourite resort. Mr. Jerdon continues his 

 observations in a letter of the same year, dated August 1 3th. 

 " From examinations that I made at one time of the intes- 

 tines of Blackbirds and Thrushes, I came to the conclusion 

 that all seeds, save the harder ones, such as the stones of 

 haws, &c, were comminuted in their passage through them. 

 But occasional seeds may escape the action of the gizzard." 

 On the disputed question of the origin of the immense flocks 

 of Wood Pigeons that periodically visit the lowlands, he 

 sends me the following query and his own solution. " Do 

 you think there is any accession to the number of our Ring- 

 doves in winter ? A gentleman in this neighbourhood, who 

 is an extensive farmer, stated to me the other day his de- 

 cided opinion that there is an immigration of these birds 

 from some quarter. I am disposed to think, however, that 

 the junction of the summer and autumn broods of a district, 

 and especially the descending to the lower parts of the 

 country of those bred in the upper or upland parts, is suf- 

 ficient to account for the large flocks we see in winter and 

 early spring." Not having paid particular attention to the 

 increase of these birds during the winter, I consulted some 

 gamekeepers, and they informed me that the strange birds 

 are richer coloured than those reared in the vicinity, and 

 that their plumage has a purplish lustre. I am not person- 

 ally cognisant of this as a fact ; but if it can be demonstrated, 

 we might ascertain the country or district where the Wood 

 Pigeon is characterised by this brighter hue. This note 

 contains the only observations, during a correspondence of 

 many years, that have not appeared in the pages of the 

 Club's " History." Mr. Jerdon's attention thereafter was 

 almost entirely devoted to botany. 



Eagle among the Cheviots. — During the spring of 1874, 

 a grey-backed Eagle made its appearance among the 



