386 Mr Muirhead on the Birds of Paxton. 



severe snowstorm, in the end of December 1874. I had not 

 previously observed the Mountain Linnet in this locality. 



53. Bullfinch. Loxia pyrrhula. The Bullfinch is rather 

 plentiful in the policy woods here, where it breeds every year. I 

 saw one or two small flocks of ten or fifteen Bullfinches which 

 appeared to be feeding on the seeds of the common avens, in the 

 Cow Dean Wood, during the severe weather in the end of Decem- 

 ber, 1874. 



54. Crossbill. Loxia curvirostra. A small flock of Cross- 

 bills visited the fir plantations in the Policy, in the month of 

 September, 1873, as recorded in the "Proceedings of the Ber- 

 wickshire Naturalists' Club," for 1873. ' 



55. Stabling. Sturnus vulgaris. Great numbers of Star- 

 lings roost at night during the autumn and winter months, in the 

 large leafy laurel bushes, in the Flower Garden. 



3lst. December, 1874. I noticed several Starlings to-day, 

 feeding close to the corn barn door at the farm-steading of Nab- 

 dean. They seemed to be very hard pressed for food, I have 

 seen no large flocks about here since the snow came on about 

 three weeks ago. The Starling seems to me to be getting much 

 more numerous, in East Lothian and Berwickshire, than it used 

 to be some years ago. 



56. Pose Coloured Pastor. Pastor roseus. A specimen 

 was killed near West Ord, many years ago. Its occurrence is 

 recorded in the " Proceedings of the Berwickshire Naturalists' 

 Club." 



57. Carrion Crow, Corvus corone. Several pairs of the 

 Carrion Crow breed every year on the tall elm trees at the side 

 of the Whiteadder, not far from the village of Paxton. One had 

 its nest on a high Scotch Fir, in the Old Heronry Wood, in the 

 summer of 1874. 



58. Hooded Crow. Corvus comix. The Hooded Crow is 

 frequently seen about the side of the Tweed at Finchy, and at 

 the mouth of the Whiteadder, in the winter and spring. 



59. Book. Corvus frugilegus. There is a large rookery in 

 Paxton House Policy, near the side of the Tweed. The Books 

 do not generally roost at the rookery at night during the winter 

 months, but come to the trees in the morning and leave in the 

 afternoon. At present (1st. Dec. 1874), great straggling flocks 

 are seen passing east toward the rookery in the mornings about 

 9 o'clock, and about 3 o'clock in the afternoon they are observed 

 returning to the west. I have not been able to ascertain where 

 they go to in the evening, after leaving the rookery. 



60. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula. Several pairs of Jackdaws 

 build in holes in the large beech trees near the Avenue Bridge. 

 They are numerous here when the young pheasants are being 

 reared, and are a source of trouble to the gamekeepers, for they 



