130 Effects of the Winter of 1878-9, by James Hardy. 



favourite residence of these birds. More pied wagtails arrived. Sea-pigeons 

 scarce. Meadow-pipit and reed-buntings on the moors. 



April 21st. On the river Eye from Eeston to Coveyheugh, birds were 

 scarce. A single dead blackbird and fieldfare were noticed. Birds had been 

 dealt more leniently with here. Two wrens were seen, and several 

 redbreasts ; the missel-thrush was building. The reed-bunting and the 

 greater tit, single birds, were noted. Several bladkbirds visible ; a thrush 

 heard in the evening. Dead wheat-ear on the moors. April 25th. On the 

 sea-banks before rain, five bank martins and two of the common swallows 

 seen. A flock of about thirty rock pipits, an unusual circumstance, this not 

 being a migrant ; but it had probably been to some extent this season ; this 

 convocation being the returning wanderers. April 27th. Swallow appeared 

 in the valley of the Eye. AprU 28. Middle wiUow wren {Sylvia Trochilus) 

 arrived near Eenton House, and on the 29th near the coast. 



May 1. Swallow seen, but not on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. Two whin-chats 

 near Cockburnspath. May 2nd and 3rd, solan geese commenced passing up 

 and down the Frith of Forth. May 3rd, a very large number of queen 

 humble-bees {Bombus terrestris) have survived the winter, and frequent at 

 present the willow catkins ; this was observed by Mr Currie also, at Linthill. 

 One day I counted about 100 on one willow. Three golden-eyes (?) remain 

 at Siccar-bay. 



May 5th. Good day. Visited Dunglass. Two martins on the coast ; 

 wheat -ears, new arrivals ; pair of swallows in the valley of the Pease. Bank 

 martins at Dunglass Mill. No thrushes at BUsdean, which is in a weU- 

 sheltered seclusion, and even common sparrows were scarce there. There 

 were some blackbirds at Dunglass among the shrubs, a single thrush and 

 missel thrush, where one might have seen them in scores in ordinary years. 

 The remains of two redwings and a fieldfare by the side of a walk. Pair of 

 whin -chats on the fallow land. May 9th, very cold, no swallows. May 

 10th, two bank martins, and two wheat-ears appeared. May 11th, willow 

 wren began to be widely diffused in hedges and woods ; cuckoo seen. May 

 12. Four swallows at Pease Mill ; whinchat seen ; general tale is the want of 

 thrushes to enliven the year. No wrens or tits in the Pease wood ; two 

 creepers seen. A blackcap warbler, and two of the wood wrens have arrived. 

 First wasp visible, and first white butterfly [Rapm). Rock-pipits pairing. 

 May 13th, mild and fresh. Willow wrens well diffused, the three kinds of 

 swallows seen ; and four fresh wheat-ears. Grey and black slugs are par- 

 ticularly numerous, as well as shell snails ; and the grubs of Tipula oleracea 

 are as plentiful as if they had not felt the winter. May 15th, dotterels 

 appeared on the moor edges. May 21st, martins and swallows began to in- 

 crease in numbers ; white-throat arrived. 



May 22nd. This was a most remarkable day amongst the migrants ; a rush 

 had taken place, and a variety of species had appeared in company. The 

 common willow wrens predominated. Trees, whin-bushes, sloe-brakes, 

 hedgerows, and even the grass were lively with birds in search of food, and 

 leaping up and down after flies. The willow wrens had very little song, and 

 were greyer than the early arrivals ; perhaps these late birds were mostly 

 females. They were very hungry ; and at evening were occupied like the 



