332 Herons and Border Heronries. By James Small. 



glaring and flashing the while ; and at the same time the parent 

 birds keep circling closely round the nest, screaming fiercely, and 

 making every few seconds a wild dash at the climber, but always 

 swerving and wheeling off when within a few feet of his head. 



The Heronries in the five counties given below number 22, 

 namely, — 



In Berwickshire 8 



Eoxburghshire 4 



Selkirkshire 1 



Peebleshire 1 



Northumberland 8 



Total 22 



In the same order here is the complete list of Heronries : — 



HEKONKIES IN BERWICKSHIEE. 

 There are a good many heronries in this county, and a con- 

 siderable number of single nests may any year be found in 

 different parts ; and judging from the number of herons that 

 frequent the rivers and other small trout streams, the birds are 

 pretty numerous. Food, in the shape of trout, smelts, minnows, 

 loaches, and small eels, is endless in the Berwickshire rivers and 

 burns ; and trout are extra numerous in the rivers and their 

 upland tributaries in the higher parts of the county, such as 

 Leader Water, the Eden, Whiteadder, and Blackadder. 

 Buggy Wood is a heronry of some 8 nests, in the policy of 

 Thirlstane Castle, seat of the Earl of Lauderdale. It 

 has been in existence so long- that no one remembers 

 when it was begun. 

 Olisterdub is on the same grounds, and is of similar size ; and 



was begun about ten years ago. 

 Duns Castle heronry contains about 12 nests. 

 Pistol Wood heronry on Blackadder estate is small. 

 The Hirsel heronry is old and pretty large. 



Mertoun heronry, on Lord Polwarth's estate is also pretty large. 

 Lithtillum Loch heronry. No report as to size. 

 Mr A. Campbell Swinton reports that "till lately herons bred 

 at Nisbet ;" and Mr G. Muirhead states that he has 

 been informed on good authority that herons used to 

 breed on the tall silver firs on the side of the Tweed on 

 the Paxton estate. 



