Notes on Beil and Stenton. 205 



various parts of the country long before the usual time for the arrival of this 

 bird ; and I am told that the notes of the Corncrake was distinctly heard at 

 Chatton, Howick, and Longhoughton in the month of January last year ; I 

 did not hear it myself until the 1 5th of April, which I regard as a very early 

 date. The note of the Cuckoo I did not hear until the 5th of May, about its 

 usual time ; and heard it last on the 25th June. On April 3rd I observed three 

 Yellow Wagtails in a meadow below Belford Station ; I also saw several ex- 

 amples of the Grey Wagtail by the side of a burn near the Station on the 

 same day. The Goatsucker I observed had returned to Belford and Chatton 

 Moors by May 15th, on which day three examples were flushed from amongst 

 the ferns. A fine specimen of the Hoopoe was shot at Beadnell on the 28th 

 of August. During the first and second weeks of December a number of 

 Snow Buntings visited the garden in company with Sparrows, Chafllnches, 

 and others. They came regularly every day as long as the snow lasted, but 

 disappeared as soon as fresh weather arrived. A small flock of Bullfinches 

 also came regularly to the garden, and remained for about a fortnight feed- 

 ing on the seeds of nettles, &c., outside the garden wall after the snow had 

 gone. A Rough-legged Buzzard was observed in the vicinity of Ross Links 

 for several days during the first week of December. It had probably been 

 attracted by the number of ducks and other birds. A great many Geese— 

 Grey-lags and Ware Geese— were observed about Fenham in the recent 

 storm. Many were shot, along with several specimens of the Wild Swan and 

 Bewick's Swan. Teals were scarce, and I have only heard of a few being 

 taken. Little Grebes were plentiful ; and several Little Auks were seen 

 about on the water. One was found as far inland as Chatton, where it was 

 shot. 



I omitted when speaking of the Rook to mention a somewhat curious fact 

 of the late breeding of a pair of these birds, and which, perhaps, is worth 

 recording in your Club's Proceedings. During the early part of last October 

 a pair of rooks were observed building, or repairing their nest, on a tree near 

 the garden of Longhirst Hall, Northumberland, and in a short time after 

 were observed patiently sitting on what were no doubt eggs. About the middle 

 of November they were seen daily feeding their brood, and the latter had just 

 emerged from the nest on to the branches when the snow-storm came on in 

 December. The parents, however, continued to feed their young ones with 

 unremitting attention, and it is believed they succeeded in bringing them 

 through the storm. JOHN AITCHISON. 



Notes on Biel and Stenton. 



[Supplementary to Vol. ix,, pp. 430-439.] 



Some little mistakes and omissions having occurred in the Re- 

 port of the Meeting at Biel and Stenton, I have been favoured 

 with supplementary notes on the subject from Miss Nisbet 

 Hamilton, to which I have added others supplied by the Rev. 

 George Marjoribanks. The occasional sketches of County man- 



