Mr Muirhead on the Birds at Paxton. 389 



the southern and midland counties of England, should have 

 been noticed both here and in Morayshire very late in autumn 

 only. 



Mr. Gray, in his "Birds of the West of Scotland," says " All 

 the specimens that have come under my own observation have 

 been procured in autumn or spring." It would seem as if the 

 Turtle Doves seen here and in Morayshire in the month of Nov- 

 ember, had been bred further north and were on their way 

 southwards; but "Yarrell" in his first edition says, —I do not 

 find any notice of the Turtle Dove visiting any part of Scandi- 

 navia or Russia." 



Br. Turnbull in his " Birds of East Lothian," records two 

 instances of the occurrence of the Turtle Dove in that county, 

 one near Haddington in 1837, and the other at Dunbar in 1845, 



74. Pheasant. Phasianus cohhicus, This beautiful bird is 

 numerous in the policy. 



Numbers of Silver Pheasants also frequent the woods. 



75. Partridge. Perdix cinerea. The Partridge is rather 

 scarce in this immediate neighbourhood. I have been told that 

 the scarcity is owing to the soil not being suitable for them. It 

 is however, remarkable, that on the adjoining properties Par- 

 tridges are comparatively plentiful, and apparently there is no 

 difference in the soil or climate from Paxton. 



76. Quail. Coturnix communis. I have a specimen of this 

 bird which was shot on New Farm near Sanson's Seal, several 

 years ago. The gamekeeper of Paxton informed me that one 

 or two quails were shot in the neighbourhood of Eeston during 

 the partridge shooting season of 1870. 



77. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis. Golden Plovers 

 in considerable numbers occasionally frequent the flat lying 

 fields to the west of Paxton, in the autumn and winter months. 

 I have seen great flocks about Whitsomehill in the autumn. 



21st Dec, 1875. An immense flock visited the grass fields on 

 Spital Mains and Clarabad Farms one day in the beginning of 

 this month, just before the last snow storm. The birds seemed 

 to have alighted while on their way from the more inland parts 

 of this county to the neighbourhood of the sea, for they were 

 seen on the grass fields here only one day, and shortly after- 

 wards I heard that great numbers were frequenting the coast 

 near Berwick. 



78. Dotterel. Charadrius morinellus. I have been informed 

 that a small flock of Dotterels comes every year, about the begin- 

 ning of May, for a few days, to the high ground on Lamberton 

 Moor, which is four or five miles from here. 



79. Peewit. Vanellus cristatus. Great numbers of Peewits 

 frequent the small marshy islands in the Tweed, in the winter 

 and early spring months. Considerable flocks are occasionally 



