240 Migration of Birds. By Dr Charles Stuart. 



near Huttonhall, on the 9th inst. Grouse were strongly on the wing, 

 between Elsdon and Harbottle in Northumberland, fourteen days before 

 these dates last mentioned, as seen by a reliable witness who had crossed 

 these moors. The drought still continues most persistent ; and in con- 

 sequence, the turnip crop gives the farmer much anxiety. The seed seems 

 to sprout well enough, but the infant plants disappear between night and 

 morning. The cause of this undoubtedly is frost. On several nights last 

 week there was a very heavy hoar frost at 3 a.m. The Dovecot field, 

 Whitehall, and the Gala Law, Ninewells, were so white, that unless I had 

 seen them with my own eyes, I could not have credited such a state 

 of weather at " The dog days." The hot sun and drought which 

 follows finishes the infant plants. 24th, The Oeometra papilionaria (the 

 Great Emerald Moth) was caught in Mains wood — the third instance of 

 its being captured in Berwickshire, and a new station. While my son and 

 Mr Lee, Secretary to the Yorkshire Naturalists' Union, were botanising 

 near Grant's house, under the Pyrola wood, a little farther on the roadside, 

 lefthand, they gathered Vicia orobus, near where it was gathered by the 

 late Dr Johnston and Dr Francis Douglas in 1833, and where it has been 

 extinct for many years ; the root of the solitary plant was left. (Enanthe 

 crocata was picked from the front of the Cauld of Ninewells mill, where 

 the Mimulus rivularis, Mentha viridis, and other good plants grow. 25th, 

 Got two large winged insects, like gigantic hive bees — 3 inches long- 

 caught in a decaying silver fir, in the strip of wood behind Broomdykes 

 hinds' houses, by Cockburn the rabbit catcher. As they were new to me, 

 I sent them on to Mr Hardy, who reports that they are Slrex Gigas (Saw 

 Flies). The Larva? Wood-borers, rare. This is the third time they are 

 reported in Berwickshire. On the 18th Partridges were strong on the wing 

 at Leetside, parish of Whitsome. The Swifts became as plentiful as usual 

 at their quarters, at the lower part of the village, although it was the 26th 

 of May before they put in an appearance. Having completed their breed- 

 ing operations, they went off in a body on the 12th August, and at Paxton 

 village about the same date. 



From the 3i'd to the 12th of August severe rain storms, with cold wind 

 and frost at night, occurred. It has been repeatedly observed that they 

 take their departure whenever a cold break in the weather takes place in 

 August. They came late and left early. The summer migrants for the 

 most part left their quarters by the end of -the month, if we except Willow 

 Wrens. 



September 1, A very severe frost. At Blackadder the Meteorological 

 Soc. Instruments registered 9° ; 4° at Allanbank. The Dahlias, Potatoes, 

 French Beans, etc., were finished for the. season. The day afterwards 

 was brilliant, aud harvest operations in full swing everywhere. 26th, 

 House Swallows and Sand Martins are now becoming scarce. First snow 

 on Cheviot fourteen days earlier than commonly seen. Strong wind from 

 the north. Been snowing several times on Ben Nevis this last week 

 of September, and we generally get it two or three days later cm 

 Cheviot. 



