Record of Migration, <&c., of Birds. By James Hardy. 561 



ton. — J. M. The Woodcock as a rule returns to the Cheviots in the middle 

 of October. This year I heard of it from two different parties between the 

 20th and the 25th — O. P. Sughes. In the Belford district there were flights 

 of Woodcocks on Oct. 6th, 9th, 10th, and 15th, and on other days since ; but 

 the flocks have been small, and the birds on the whole scarce. SSnipes were 

 also scarce, and the few seen were very wild, — /. A. 



Fieldfare. — Jan. 5th, 10 Fieldfares and 2 Missels were seen at newly 

 ploughed land. April 29th, Mr George Bolam saw 10 in pairs, near Ayton. 

 Eev. J. F. Bigge hardly saw one Fieldfare this spring. Autumn. — Nov. 17th, 

 on Ecklaw Edge. Nov. 5th, at Lamberton.— /. M. A few Fieldfares made 

 their appearance at Belford Crag on Oct. 9th, since which time I have not 

 heard of any of this species in the neighbourhood.—/. A. Nov. 12th, at 

 Gordon. Not seen on the coast this winter. 



Redwing.— Nov. 10th, at Lamberton.—/. M. Dec. 6th, Redwings for the 

 first time at Whiterig, Ayton.— i)r. Stuart. Mr J. Aitchison reports from 

 Belford : " Winter visitors have been scarce here this year ; the most notable 

 migratory wave took place in the early part of October. On the 2nd of that 

 month a rather large flock of Redwings was observed in a fir plantation not far 

 from Chathill Station ; and on the 5th a much smaller flock was seen at Bead- 

 nel." 



Gkeenshank. — Aug. 16th, a Greenshank shot at Clifton Park.— -4. B. 



Starling. — Before the end of August there were considerable flocks among 

 the Rooks ; none, however, were observed in visits paid to the Merse of Ber- 

 wickshire. Sept. ]9th, there had been no Starlings for a long time among 

 the Rooks. Nov. 2nd, snow, some Starlings among Lapwings on sheep pas- 

 ture. Dec. 7th, scattered flocks of Starlings among Rooks Dec. 16th, a 

 considerable flock following Rooks. They have, however, been absent here 

 from assemblages of Rooks and Jackdaws during the spring of 1882 : and only 

 a single bird is visible at intervals. Dr Stuart remarked that at Chirnside, 

 Starlings disappeared in winter 1881-2 ; no flocks accompanied the Rooks as 

 usual. Dr. Stuart writes : " Mr Alexander Mitchell Innes informs me that 

 since the evergreens were destroyed by frost at Ayton Castle, last winter the 

 Starlings, which were very plentiful there, have disappeared. At Twizel 

 Castle they bred in the ivy in multitudes. Since the removal of the ivy, they 

 have left in a body. The country people all maintain that they were never 

 seen in flocks with the Rooks in the east of Berwicksbire, till their breeding 

 place there was destroyed Thirty-four years ago, the Starling was a com- 

 paratively rare bird here — so much so that when we heard their plaintive 

 whistle in the early March, we said spring had arrived." I heard also that 

 the late proprietor, annoyed with their chattering, had dislodged them from 

 Dunse Castle, by cutting down the evergreens in which they harboured. I 

 have noted birds, say from 1830, and have always seen Starlings accompany- 

 ing Rooks. 



Siskin.— August 28th, Mr Muirhead saw two Siskins in the Haddington 

 district, newly arrived. Siskins arrived at Gordon Moss on the 15th of Oct. 



— The Redpole Linnet arrives with them, but there are a few of it all the 

 summer with us. — {Corr.) Dec. 12th. two Siskins and two Redpoles at Fans. 



— It.E. A large flock of Siskins was seen at Lilburn, Northumberland, Sept. 

 26th. This species is often met with in this district (Belford) in considerable 



