Xotes on thr Birch of Stobo. By John Thomson. 551 



a fish which had been seized in and dragged from a pool a foot in depth. 

 Awkwardly enough, the popular name of this bird in Peeblesshire is the 

 " IToody Crow." 



As to whether on the whole the Rook is a friend or a foe to the agrienl- 

 tnrist, it may be said, that if the latter takes proper precautions against the 

 plundering habits of the biid at seed time, in the harvest season, and when 

 the potatoes begin to appear above ground, he will be mach more than re- 

 couped for the small outlay entailed by these precautions, by the beneficial 

 services of the Rook at other times of the year. The manner in which 

 they often travel from one feeding-ground to another is noteworthy. A 

 few will rise up from the flock and fly right away, then in a short time 

 another, and perhaps larger detachment will follow ; often, however, those 

 preceding are so far in advance that they cannot possibly be seen by the 

 others, who, notwithstanding continue to pursue the same course. This I 

 think they could only accomplish by narrowly observing the line their 

 forerunners took when they flew off from the flock. One in a rather 

 singular dress attracted some attention in this neighbourhood a year or 

 two ago. Its back and wings were spotted with white, and a broad collar 

 of greyish-white encircled its neck, and its bill was nearly white — other 

 parts being the ordinary colour. 



Jackdaws occasionally alight on sheep's backs to feed on the parasites 

 that infest these animals. The sheep seems quite alive to the good services 

 of the Daw, and will suffer it to sit on its head and peck away. Lately I 

 saw a Jackdaw's nest built near the top of a tall spruce fir, and quite away 

 from their breeding-haunts, which here are — Rabbit burrows on the hills, 

 and a disused slate quarry. 



Two Bohemian Waxwixgs were shot near the Manse of Stobo on January 

 26, 1882 ; and upwards of twenty years ago a small flock was seen near the 

 same place, one of which was shot. 



The notes of the Cuckoo are usually first heard in the district in the last 

 week of April. Straggling natural -grown trees or small clumps along 

 hillsides, and other upland parts of a locality, are much frequented for a 

 week or two following their arrival ; afterwards they fly much more abroad 

 —.all over the lower and cultivated portions. They alight often on the 

 drills of turnip fields, being drawn thither by the presence of numerous 

 beetles and creeping things suited to their taste ; remain seldom long on 

 the "-round at one time, and perch nearly always when they fly up on the 

 lowermost branches of trees. While I was watching the movements of a 

 pair of these birds, one of them which had just settled on the ground was 

 pounced upon by a male Sparrow-Hawk. It had got a few feet into the 

 air when the Hawk struck it and sent feathers flying. The Cuckoo gave 

 utterance to shrill cries, and endeavoured to turn upon its assailant, who 

 however, managed to keep above it and tore out many feathers from its 

 wings and body. On hearing the cries of its companion, and seeing the 

 encounter — for such it had become — the other Cuckoo flew boldly up, and 

 its opportune appearance put an end to the conflict, the Hawk deeming it 

 prudent to retire. 



