Miscellanea, Correspondence, &c, by Mr. Jas. Hardy. 295 



some of the East Lothian streams. On the river Eye it has 

 been observed near Reston, and occasionally as far up as 

 Grant's House; but it is a scarce bird even on the Whit- 

 adder, where it breeds. 



Geeater Tit (Parus major). — About Cockburnspath this 

 goes by the name of " the Bee Eater." It is said to be a 

 great enemy, as indeed old apiarian writers instruct us, to 

 the hive-bees, descending suddenly from the tall trees that 

 surround village gardens, and as the bees issue out and in, 

 carrying off its prey without any compunction. 



Missel Thrush. — On May 2, being in the Tower dean, a 

 Missel Thrush glanced past me, in furious pursuit of a Jack- 

 daw. The Jackdaw was in terror, and uttered an inward 

 crowy complaint of not being let alone, and wheeled every 

 way to avoid an attack. On the same day, at the Pease 

 Bridge, I saw another Missel make a dart at a passing Jack- 

 daw, and drive it in hot haste through one of the arches of 

 the bridge. Gilbert White has celebrated its dauntless 

 conduct in guarding its nest, regardless of the bulk or 

 weight of its assailant. Looking out of a window, May 17, 

 I observed how it stowed away a very bulky worm, which 

 it had seized on a grass-plot. It first cut it into sections at 

 the one end, with repeated strokes of its bill, and swallowed 

 them : and then finding the remainder manageable, bore it 

 off to its young. It is called " the Red-rumped Thrush/' in 

 North Northumberland ; " Scricket " in South Durham ; 

 " Feltyfleer " and " the Big Mavis," in Berwickshire. 



Starlings. — Starlings stun worms by a " dab " on the 

 narrow end ; crumple them up neatly in folds till they 

 have gathered a mouthful, with which they hasten off in 

 level flight to their nest. They are said also to collect giey 

 slugs ; and they pick up small stones to assist digestion. 



Sand Martin. — A prolonged fight was witnessed on the 

 river Till, between two Sand Martins, which had fallen out 

 about their respective proprietary rights in a hole adapted 

 for a nest. They did not separate till they both fell into 

 the water, from which they had great difficulty in recovering 

 themselves (May, 1874). 



Departure of Swallows and Martins. — Chimney 

 Swallows were present at Coldstream, September 23rd. 

 They had left Hauxley before September 17th. Martins 

 were at Millfield, September 25th, and at Wooler, Septem- 

 ber 26th, which was their last day there. That evening a 



