Zoological Notes, by Andrew Brotherston, Kelso. 503 



of these birds in her nest, she was sitting on eggs, and sat so 

 close, that rather than leave them she allowed me to " clap" her, 

 but not without showing fight afterwards. It was in a narrow strip 

 of plantation between Houndridge and Harpertoun, nearEdnam. 

 The nest was built in a hole (which to all appearance was made 

 by the birds themselves), in the decaying stump of an oak. The 

 hole did not go far in, but was just inside of the bark ; the en- 

 trance was about three feet from the ground. So far as I can 

 remember, it was a very poor nest — only a few withered leaves. 

 In the vicinity of the nest were several other decaying stumps, 

 in most of which were similar holes to that in which the nest was 

 placed, all apparently made by the same sort of birds, probably 

 in search of insects. I am not aware of these birds having been 

 recorded as breeding in Scotland before, but I have not the 

 slightest doubt of it being the Nuthatch, as we have no other 

 bird that can be mistaken for it. In Mr R. Gray's " Birds of the 

 West of Scotland," he records four Scottish examples of the 

 Nuthatch ; one of which was killed in a garden near Dunse, ia 

 March, 1857. He says " It will doubtless be found to be a more 

 frequent visitor to Scotland than has been hitherto supposed, es- 

 pecially in the border counties, where the extending wood may 

 prove an additional attraction to a bird of its habits." 



Twite, (Mountain Linnet), (Linaria montana), Selby. — This is 

 the " Heather Lintie" of the Border districts. It frequents up- 

 land moors and hills. I have seen it in the Bizzle Glen on 

 Cheviot, in the month of July. It appears to be known over a 

 wide district as the " Heather Lintie :" away above Peebles it is 

 known by that name, and " Our old shepherds,'' says Mr. Hardy, 

 referring to the Lammermoors, "used to know the 'Heather 

 Lintie' and its nest." It is known as a distinct species in these 

 districts, from the Grey or Whin Lintie, L. cannabina, although 

 many, even bird-fanciers, consider the Rose Lintie distinct from 

 the latter ; but this is not to be wondered at, as some of the older 

 ornithologists were of the same opinion. Wherever there are 

 alders in this neighbourhood, the Lesser Eedpole, L. minor, and 

 the Siskin, CardMelis spinus, are to be seen in small flocks every 

 winter. 



Chefp Chaff, {Sylvia rufa), Tern. — I believe this to be a rare 

 bird with us, having seen a very few that I was certain of. It 

 is not easily distinguished by sight from the Willow Wren, 

 S. r trochilus, — a very common bird on the Borders — unless when in 

 the hand, but the song is very different. One of its notes has 

 been likened to " Chiff Chaff," whence the name, or as Fleming 

 has it, " Chip Chop." The Garden Warbler, S. hortensis, I have 

 frequently seen in this neighbourhood — at Ednam, Springwood, 

 and Hendersyde Park. The Blackcap Warbler, S. atricapitta, 



2 L 



