252 Natural History Observations. By J. Thomson. 



May. On two days in the second week of May I heard the Grasshopper 

 Warbler (Locustella ncevia) in the willow bushes at Maxton station. After- 

 wards I watched and listened for it in vain. Three nests of the Pied 

 Wagtail on the banks of the Tweed above Littledean Tower. Bullfinches' 

 nest on an elm sucker in Kelly burn wood ; young safely fledged. A pair 

 of Little Grebes nested among the sedges in a pond in Mertoun park. Saw 

 old and young frequently during the summer. In same pond several nests 

 of Water Hens and Wild Ducks. This month I knew of four Kingfishers' 

 nests on Tweedside : one was on the northern bank of the river to the west 

 of the Mertoun parks. Another was on the south bank near Littledean 

 Tower, and the remaining two were close together on the same bank near 

 Maxton. The two latter nests were not more than two yards apart. Think- 

 ing from the frequent visits of the birds, which I regularly watched, that 

 one of the nests contained young, I enlarged the hole and found it to con- 

 tain five eggs. The nest, if such I may term it, consisted of minute 

 bones, and was so far into the bank that I had some difficulty in reaching 

 it. I regret to say the birds forsook. I had no desire to take the eggs ; 

 but after allowing them to remain about a month, I took them home. Two 

 1 sent to my friend " Nether-Lochaber," a pair are now in the Museum of 

 the Tweedside Physical and Antiquarian Society at Kelso, while I gave the 

 fifth to a boy on his promising to abstain from robbing nests. I was vexed 

 to find that the youngster, two days subsequently, had either forgotten or 

 altogether disregarded his promise. It would seem that in this case the 

 boys were not aware of the existence of these two nests. I often saw them 

 fishing a few yards off. In the case of this particular pair of birds, the hen 

 had not laid her full complement of eggs. I am quite sure the other pair 

 reared two broods siiccessfully. It afforded me greater pleasure to watch 

 their movements than to attempt to fill my own creel. Froin what I have 

 stated it will be seen the Kingfisher is far from being a rare bird in this 

 locality. 1 seldom take a. walk along a certain stretch of bank without 

 seeing one or two birds. However, one requires to know how and where 

 to look for the Kingfisher. 



Owl nests were very numerous in the woods this season. The school 

 boys were wont to boast as proudly of the number of owl eggs they pos- 

 sessed as a Red Indian of the scalps of his fallen foes. One day 1 came 

 upon the little imps at their hateful work. When the Owl nest was beyond 

 reach of their hand in a hollow tree, one of the rascals exultingly pulled a 

 ladle from his pocket, tied it to an ash " plant," and thus scooped the eggs 

 out. Hardly a bird nest escaped their lynx-eyed vision or ruthless hands. 

 The number robbed was remarkable. In a narrow strip of wood, in one 

 night, to my certain knowledge, they harried the nests of four pairs of 

 Blackbirds, three Thrushes, three Chaffinches, two Hedge Sparrows, one 

 Yellow Hammer, one Whitethroat, one Redbreast, and I cannot say how 

 many Cushats. After this I may be excused saying of the boys what has 

 long been proverbial : " Worse and worse, like the elders of Maxton." In 

 common fairness I should add that they seemed willing to allow the nests 

 in the hedges on the way to school to remain untouched, though their visits 



