The Migration of Birds. By Dr Chas. Stuart. 573 



not plentiful is again here singing. May 14, Swifts seen in their usual 

 haunts in old tenements, next Waterloo Inn, Chirnside. June 1 , Wrens at 

 Hutton hall, Grant's house, and Edington mill. June 1, Redstarts plentiful 

 in the village and near churchyard. July 16, Mr Millican saw a flock of 

 Canadian Geese, feeding in his mill pond. Thinking they were tame birds, 

 he incautiously disturbed them. They took Aving and flew over Blackburn. 

 Were they truly wild or naturalized ? from Gosford in East Lothian ? 

 Aug. 18, Redstarts unusually plentiful, i:)erhaps before migration; more 

 fine covies of Partridges than for many years. At this date can hardly be 

 distinguished from old birds. Aug. 21, Swifts left with a strong gale 

 from west. Sept. 9, summer visitors mostly gone ; saw Whitethroat and 

 Willow Wren at Fishwick Mains on Sept. 6. Sept. 10, family of Pied 

 Wagtails flying about on crofts here; jjlenty of House Swallows still 

 flying about ; Water-ousels and Wrens plentiful about Chirnside bridge ; 

 Wheatears scarce in this neighbourhood ; sav/ one at Whitehall on Sept. 

 6. Sept. 12, a colony of Siskins and Redpolls have nested at Edington 

 mill, among the alders, in the cover. Tbey have been seen quite lately 

 and seem to arrive in this country together. Sept. 24, at Peorbank stream 

 near Edington, on the Whitadder, my sons saw a Kingfisher. None have 

 been seen since great frost of 1880-1. Oct. 6, the House Swallows left early 

 in the month, but stragglers still remain ; saw 3 at Allanton bridge on 

 Oct. 16 ; nests of young at New Mains, Foulden, on Oct. 3. Oct. 5, when 

 gathering fungi in Pistol plantation, Blackadder, flushed first Wood Cock. 

 Nov. 10, saw large flock of Golden Plovers, near New Horndean, and they 

 have frequented the fields there all winter. Dec. 4, large flocks seen at 

 Whitsomehill. Dec. 6, saw 65 Wild Geese flying south near Sunwick, day 

 before the drifting Thursday. Dec. 7, great snow-storm, weight of snow 

 broke the tops of the trees greatly. Hares and rabbits fed on the bark of 

 the Scots-firs, being unable to get at other nourishment, the snow being 

 hard frozen into the ground j Laburnums also. 



1883. 



Jan. and Feb. The Green Plovers have appeared in flocks at their usual 

 time, viz., w^hen the weather is fresh, at the end of Jan. and beginning of 

 Feb. ; but we have had some stragglers all winter. No Wild Geese have 

 been observed flyir;g north. 



Mar. 5, in returning from Whitsome, I saw a bird resembling a Turtle- 

 dove, in a young grass field. On stopping my conveyance, it rose, and 

 proved to be an ash-coloured Blackbird. Being preceded by its mate in 

 its flight, I had a good opportunity of having a good look ; and from its 

 size it was evidently a male. It flew into the Pistol plantings. This bird 

 has since been seen at the new fox cover at Canny Bank, by Tom Shiell, 

 keeper to the Hon. E. Marjoribanks, M.P, In the Berioickshire News I 

 observed an account of a white Chaffinch having been seen near Swinton. 

 A most beautiful specimen of the same colour was observed a few years 

 ago in the strip of wood by the roadside between Allanton and the Free 

 Church. The bird was a male and very shy. 



