Natural History Observations. By J. Thomson. 255 



nest. So closely were the materials of the exterior assimilated with their 

 surroundings, that had the bird not flown out, I had not discovered the 

 nest. In a thicket farther on was another Wren's nest, the outer covering 

 of which was green moss. A Wild Duck and her callow brood were dis- 

 porting themselves in a pool near the foot of the Littledean burn. Among 

 the rank grass in an islet in the Tweed, at the burn mouth, which is 

 covered during floods, was a Water Hen's nest containing five eggs. The 

 peculiarity of the nest consisted in its having been built in the crown of a 

 lady's straw bonnet. It would seem that the parent birds had been satis- 

 tied in their own instinct that the nest was safe. A flood of less than 

 twelve inches would have sent hat, nest, and eggs on a turbulent voyage 

 down the Tweed. Close to Littledean Tower, a Cushat had built her nest, 

 and laid her two eggs in a thorn bush, and not more than three feet from 

 the ground. Sand Martins in full force at Broomhouse quarry. One Wag- 

 tail's nest on a ledge of rock in the quarry. 



July 11, A fortnight or so ago, while walking along the banks of Maxton 

 burn, I flushed a Water Hen, and shortly afterwards I found her nest with 

 eleven eggs, among the roots of the tall and umbrageous butter-burrs 

 (Petasites vulgaris), in the centre of the stream. On the 2nd inst., I 

 revisited the nest and found two young birds sitting beside it, and seven 

 eggs in it. On the 4th inst., there were five eggs and two young. On the 

 9th inst., I found two eggs and one young bird. To-day, the nest was 

 empty and deserted. Apparently a full week elapsed between the time 

 the first bird escaped from the shell, and the hatching of the last of the 

 brood. 30th, On the evening of yesterday, while crossing the Tweed by 

 the Mertoun suspension bridge, my attention was attracted by a white 

 object, moving in comparatively calm water a little above the bridge. It 

 proved to be a White Eel. In returning homewards it was still about, and 

 to-night, when I went on a special visit to the bridge, it was still in the 

 same spot, or near by, feeding very voraciously, and wriggling away in 

 the manner peculiar to eels. Jerdan, Lord Polwarth's under-keeper, in- 

 forms me he saw it last night. The Rev Dr Stewart, F.S.A., Ballachulish, 

 informs me that he has "more than once seen and caught ashy gray and 

 almost pure white eels in the upper reaches of the river Ree in my own 

 parish, and also in a stream that falls into Loch Feochan, near Oban. 

 Such eels when caught and handled are always found to be soft and flabby, 

 and generally out of condition, so that I am inclined to believe that the 

 abnormal colouring is the result of some disease.'' Eels have been more 

 than usually abundant in the Tweed this season, if I may credit fishermen 

 and gamekeepers — and I have seen no reason why they should be disbelieved. 

 The other evening about dusk, while angling at the neck of "'The Webba" 

 a huge black eel came quite close to my boots. I was wading in the com- 

 paratively calm " wash" of the deep and rapid stream, and the eel evidently 

 being unable or unwilling to stem the rapid current, wished to ascend 

 in the quiet water. Seven or eight times in succession he approached 

 quite close to me, but as soon as I was noticed he glided back. 1 am inclined 

 to think this said little for his powers of vision. 



