379 



On the Birds in the neighbourhood of Paxton. By George 

 Muirhead. 



1. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetos. An Eagle, evidently 

 of this kind was killed near Hutton Mill, on the Whiteadder, 

 about forty years ago. It was observed feeding on the carcass 

 of a horse, at the side of the river, and was shot by the late 

 Mr Hastie, tenant of Hutton Mill. The Rev. Dr. Kirke, of 

 Hutton, kindly obtained for me the above information. 



2. Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus. A Peregrine Falcon 

 frequented the tall trees at the side of the river Tweed here, in 

 the summer of 1871. I do not know of any othei instance of the 

 Peregrine having been observed in this neighbourhood. 



3. Merlin. Falco cesalon. This beautiful little Falcon is oc- 

 casionally seen about Paxton, I have noticed two or three flying 

 about the plantations, during the course of the last three oi four 

 years. The gamekeeper at Paxton House shot a male in full 

 plumage in Finchy wood, at the side of the Tweed, in February 



1873. He also killed a male in immature plumage in the Cow 

 Dean Wood, in the spring of 1872. I have not seen the Hobby 

 (Falco subbuteoj either in Berwickshire or Haddingtonshire. I 

 observe that Dr. Turnbull does not include it in his "Birds of 

 East Lothian." 



4. Kestrel. Tinnunculm alaudarius. The Kestrel is com- 

 mon in this neighbourhood, and is often seen hovering over the 

 fields and young plantations, in search of prey. There was a 

 Kestrel's nest in the Old Heronry Wood, in the summer of 1874. 

 It also breeds in the high rocks at the side of the Whiteadder, 

 near Tibbie Fowler's Glen. 



5. Sparrowhawk. Accipiter nisus. The Sparrowhawk is 

 very often seen in the woods here. The wood at Finchy, at the 

 side of the Tweed, which consists of high trees growing on a steep 

 bank sloping to the south, and which is usually frequented by 

 great numbers of small birds, is one of its favourite hunting 

 grounds. I knew of two Sparrowhawk's nests in the summer ol 



1874. One was built on a Scotch fir-tree not over thirty feet 

 high, in the small plantation which lies immediately to the west 

 of Paxton South Mains Farm Steading. When the nest was dis- 

 covered, about the middle of June, there were five eggs in it. 

 The other nest was in the Wester Strip in Paxton House Policy, 

 and it was not found out till the young hawks were heard crying 

 for food. On examining the nest, I found it full of the remains 

 of a great number of small birds. 



The Sparrowhawk used to build regularly every year, in the 

 Well Mire plantation, at the side of the Whiteadder, near 

 Paxton Village, but it has not been observed to do so there for 

 the last two seasons. I notice male Sparrowhawks flying about 

 here much more frequently than female. 



