260 mitholoyieal Notes. By George Bolam. 



Behxicle Goose, Bernicla leucopsis (Bechstein). 



■ A small flock of some eight or ten individuals visited the slakes at Holy 

 Lsland during the winter of 1885-0. They were first seen about the middle 

 of November, on the 20fh of which month one was shot by a man with a 

 punt gun, but was not preserved. From his description it would seem to 

 have been an immature bird. The Bernicle is far from being a regular 

 visitor to the coast of Northumberland, and it is only at long and irregular 

 intervals that any are seen upon the slakes. 



Nesting of the J j ikd FLYCATCHER, Muscicapa atricapilla (Linn.) in 

 Northumberland. 



For some years past this bird would seem to have beeu upon the increase, 

 and that too not only in our own immediate district, but in other and more 

 southern parts of England as well. In many places, particularly in the 

 Eastern counties, they have not only appeared for the first time during the 

 last year or two, but have actually taken up their quarters and bred where 

 they have previously, except as very rare migrants, never been seen before. 



As already recorded in the Proceedings (vol. X., p. 386) I have for some 

 years noticed the Pied Flycatchers almost annually in the autumn at 

 Berwick, but its nest has always been considered as a great rarity in the 

 district. Bewick refers to one in Axwell Park, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, 

 in June 1801 ; and Mr Hancock mentions another, on the authority of Mr 

 Isaac Clark, as having been taken with 5 eggs,, in Stella Park, also near 

 Newcastle. 



In the Proceedings of the Club for 1872 (vol. VI., p. 42t>) the building 

 of a pair near Weetwood is chronicled and other suspected instances are 

 given. About the year 1877 a pair bred in a hole in a tree at Nnnwick on 

 the North Tyne, and one of the birds was caught upon the nest, but I have 

 no other records till we come down to 1884. In the "Field" of 2nd 

 Angust of that year Mr John Cordeaux in an article on " Upper Coquet- 

 dale " mentions a nest which had been found that year in a hole in an old 

 alder tree near Harbottle Castle, and which, from the descriptions given 

 him, he had "not the slightest doubt" belonged to this species. This 

 opinion is strengthened by the fact that Pied Flycatchers were undoubted- 

 ly seen in that neighbourhood during the following summer. 



The most favoured locality however seems to have been the Duke of Nor- 

 thumberland's fine park at Alnwick ; and here the birds, within the last 

 three years, seem to have fairly established themselves. They wei'e first 

 Doticed in the spring of 188-4, and on 24th June of that year a nest was 

 found by Mr Murdie the tenant of Heiferlaw Bank farm, containing young 

 almost fledged. A notice of this nest appeared in the " Newcastle Weekly 

 Chronicle" of 5th July, and I subsequently had from Mr Murdie some 

 interesting details regarding it. The nest was built in a small hole in an old 

 oak tree, overhanging a stream, and was not more than three feet from the 

 ground ; the old birds were remarkably tame and fearless, coming very near 

 to him, and continuing to feed their young while he stood quite close to the 

 spot. 



