294 Miscellanea, Correspondence, <&c, by Mr. Jas. Hardy. 



Cheviots, and furnished for a season a fine spectacle for the 

 shepherds. It ranged from Broadstruther heights down to 

 the junction of Harthope and Care burns, and lived upon 

 dead sheep. The shepherds observed that it rose spirally, 

 and then swooped suddenly down. It was last seen in 

 March. They thought it was a Golden Eagle, but I set 

 it down, for an Erne, or White-tailed Eagle. In former 

 times the White-tailed Eagle, or some other species, fre- 

 quented Ruberslaw, for Leyden preserves the shepherds' 

 recollections of it — 



" Dark Ruberslaw, that lifts his head sublime, 

 Rugged and hoary with the wrecks of time ! 

 On his broad misty front the giant wears 

 The horrid furrows of ten thousand years ; 

 His aged brows are crowned with curling fern, 

 Where perches, grave and lone, the hooded Erne, 

 Majestic bird ! by ancient shepherds styled 

 The lonely hermit of the russet wild, 

 That loves amid the stormy blast to soar, 

 When through disjointed cliffs the tempests roar, 

 Climbs on strong wing the storm, and, screaming high, 

 Rides the dim rack, that sweeps the darkened sky," 



Buzzard (Buteo vulgaris). — A bird of this now very un- 

 common hawk, was seen in the end of September or begin- 

 ning of October, moving in its slow leisurely flight along the 

 North British Railway between Pease Bridge and Cock- 

 burnspath. It was only a passing visitant, and occurred 

 about the same time when others visited the vicinity of 

 Kelso. 



Kingfisher. — The Rev. Andrew Baird, in the "Statistical 

 Account of Berwickshire-; Parish of Cockburnspath and 

 Oldcambus," p. 299, makes the unfortunate remark that 

 " on the margins of the little streams we frequently see the 

 beautiful Kingfisher."* This is true of the Water-ouzel, 

 but we have not the Kingfisher at all as a resident bird ; 

 and the only example I have heard of is one shot in the 

 beginning of January, 1875, in the meadow between Cock- 

 burnspath and Dunglass, which had probably come from 



* This is not the only mistake in the Zoology of the parish. The author 

 mentions a tradition of a Wolf, whereas the tradition refers to a "Wild-hoar. 

 He also speaks of the Martin inhabiting the woods near the Pease Bridge ; 

 the last animal being the Wild-cat. The mis statements have arisen from 

 not making due enquiry, while the writer was, as yet, a comparative stranger. 

 I make this correction, as I may not have another opportunity. 



