404 Record of Migration, <&c., of Birds, by James Hardy. 



Q-REY-BACKED Oro"w {Corvus Comix). — At Berwick, in 1879, 

 departed April 18th; arrived August IStli; in 1880, departed 

 April 29th, arrived Oct. 15th. August 18th was very early, and 

 possibly the birds may have bred here. October is the usual 

 time. The entry in my note book is — " 1879, Aug. 18th : saw 

 2 Grrey-backed Crows, very patchy in colour, and sorely in the 

 moult — they did not seem to be properly coloured, but this might 

 simply have been from their moulting condition — at any rate, 

 this is remarkably early for ' Hoodies,' and I do not think that 

 these could have travelled far, but had possibly been bred in the 

 country." — G. B. At Bowshiel, Nov. 5th, first seen. In 1879, 

 seen April 24th, and arrived Oct. 2nd. — J. H. Sea coast, Aln- 

 wick, Nov. 2nd, 1880, four Hooded Crows busy turning "sea- 

 ware" with their biUs.— r. H. G. 



Sea-pie {Raimatopus ostralegus). — In 1879, October 7th, a flock 

 arrived, which continued till the 16th. Not seen in 1880. 



Snow-flake {Plectrophanes nivalis). — The newspapers record a 

 flock of birds, nearly white, as having been seen on the hiQs north 

 of Matfen on Jan. 3rd, 1880. In Northumberland and Eox- 

 burghshire, the Snow-flake is called the " Cock of the North;" 

 but the Berwickshire and East Lothian " Cock of the North" is 

 the male Brambling (Fringilla MontifringillaJ . The people there 

 well know the '' Snow-Flek," which, alluding to its speckled 

 plumage, is more correct than ** Snow-flake." On Oct. 18th, a 

 Snow-flake, in a heavy storm of wind and rain, appeared as if 

 just landed on the post road near Thorntonloch, E. L. It was 

 picking at some horse-droppings. The weather continued stormy 

 till Oct. 30th, wind N. and N.E., when a very large flock of 

 Snow-flakes arrived at Penmanshiel, on the lea-fields, but left 

 after resting a few days, if rest they did, for they flit about like 

 evil spirits which have no home. They were again very numerous 

 there on Nov. 30th, flying wildly. At Oldcambus there were 

 chance birds on Dec. 20th and 29th ; and three or four on Jan. 

 7th, 1881. On Nov. 15th, Mr Gribb saw Snow Buntings in con- 

 siderable flocks on Alnwick Moor, which were very restless. — 

 Mr Kelly of date Nov. 30th, says that on the 14th, he went for a 

 mile or two through very deep snow to see hundreds upon hun- 

 dreds of Snow-flakes feeding on the corn stacks placed far out on 

 Lauder common. One or two of the birds were almost white. 

 Where the hill sheep in that district are fed with hay, they resort 

 in great flocks to feed on the seed. At Longcroft, wheu Mr KeUy 



