388 Mr Muirhead on the Birds at Paxton. 



Martins breed in the sandpit at Finchy, every summer. The 

 steep face of the pit is full of their holes. 



70. Swift. Cypselus opus. A pair or two of Swifts may 

 generally be seen high over head in the air, during the summer 

 evenings. 



71. Goatsucker. Caprimulgus europceus, I have heard the 

 Goatsucker uttering its peculiar cry once or twice, in the policy 

 plantations, during summer nights, — and I have also noticed the 

 bird on the wing. It is very seldom heard or seen in this 

 neighbourhood, 



72. King Dove. Columba palwmbus. "Wood Pigeons in great 

 numbers sometimes frequent the policy woods, and a good many 

 breed there. Their cooing during the spring and summer even- 

 ings is exceedingly pleasant to the ear. Considerable flocks 

 come thither in early summer, and appear to feed on the tender 

 young leaves of the beech trees. Great flocks came to feed on 

 the beech nuts, in October and November, 1873. About the 

 middle of the latter month, these flocks were augmented by 

 immense numbers of pigeons, which came from the direction of 

 the sea, along the side of the Tweed. It appeared to me, that 

 they were migratory birds from Norway or Sweden. They came 

 always in long straggling flocks from the direction of Berwick, 

 in the mornings, and were not observed to return in the evenings. 

 Vast numbers of pigeons in continuous flocks, kept passing from 

 the east, over the wood which runs along the high bank of the 

 Whiteadder, near the village of Paxton, for about a fortnight, 

 during the same month ; and although many of them were shot 

 every day, the reports of the guns did not seem to alter the line 

 of flight taken by the fresh birds which came. 



This year (Oct. 1874) I observe considerable flocks passing 

 over head from west to east in the mornings about 9 o'clock, 

 and returning again in the afternoons about 3 o'clock. By 

 standing on the high ground under their line of flight with a 

 breechloader, a dozen or so may be killed while the flight lasts. 

 They afford tolerable sport, as they are strong on the wing and 

 difficult to kill. 



21st Dec, 1875. Very few Wood Pigeons have come here 

 this autumn. 



73. Turtle Dove. Columba turtur. A specimen, evidently 

 a young bird, was shot near Edrington Castle, on the Whiteadder, 

 in November, 1872; and is preserved in the Berwick Museum. 

 Another in the same state of plumage was obtained near White- 

 adder Bridge, in November, 1874. I observe Mr. St. John in 

 his " Wild Sports of the Highlands," mentions that he twice saw 

 a pair of Turtle Doves in Morayshire, and in both instances the 

 time when he noticed them was towards the end of autumn. It 

 appears to me to be somewhat singular, that a summer visitor to 



