Miscellanea, by Mr James Hardy. 517 



cry. Then it stood up ; and glided away towards the track of 

 the stream. Next day, I came on another nest, with four eggs, 

 among gravel, beneath a thicket of hazel and thorns. The bird 

 again spread out its wings, and trailed its fan-shaped tail. There 

 was more of a nest, which was constructed of leaves, and grass, 

 and twigs. On April 29th, a pair was seen on the Blackadder, 

 above Greenlaw ; the first for the season. 



Solitary Snipe, (Scolopax major). — Six or seven years ago, I 

 am informed, a Solitary Snipe was shot near Middleton Hall, 

 Belford. It has been preserved. 



Water Kail, (Rallus aquaticus). — One was killed December, 

 1875, in a ditch near Wooler Haugh Head, and has been pre- 

 served. 



Goosakder, (Mergus merganser). — A female was shot near 

 Longformacus, in the end of February, 1876, and was sent to 

 Mr Eobert Waite, Dunse, to be stuffed. On March 6th, Mr 

 Brotherston had a male adult bird from St. Boswell's. 



"Red-necked Grebe, Podiceps rulricollis. — One was shot, 10th 

 December, 1875, in the winter plumage, at the Harbour Pier, 

 Coldingham shore, and is now in Mr Wilson's collection. 



Little Auk, Mergulus melanoleucos. — One was caught near 

 Dunse, in November, in a very wasted condition. 



Richardson's Skua G till, Lestris Richardsoni. — A male and 

 a female were shot at Coldingham Shore, in the winter of 1875, 

 and are now in Mr A. Wilson's collection. 



Black-headed Gull, [Larus ridihundus). — There is such a love 

 of precision in the popular mind, that little allowance is made 

 for seasons and circumstances. About the famous Pallinsburn 

 Gull, the common opinion is that its return is true to a day in 

 each year ; and that it withdraws in like manner, for good and 

 all at one fixed period. On this subject I have been favoured 

 with a note from Mr Askew. "The Gulls," he says, "usual- 

 ly come here the first week in March, but do not remain at 

 night for a fortnight or so — until the weather is spring-like. 

 They remain till the young are on the wing — and" depart one 

 by one ; — all having gone by the middle of July." I learn 

 that some of the gulls have been shot on Wooler water during 

 the winter, near Wooler bridge. On March 11th, 1876, I ob- 

 served four or five flying backwards and forwards over the 

 water at Earle Mill ; but they never returned during the subse- 

 quent snowy weather." 



Hoodie v. Sparrow Hawk. Dr. Stuart, of Chirnside, writes 

 Feb. 21st, 1876. "When driving along the Hutton Road the 

 other day, I saw an animal in difficulties in an adjoining field. 

 Three Hooded Crows had surrounded it, stepping up and giving 

 it a peck in turn. I thought it might be a wounded hare or rab- 



