Notes on the Birds of Stobo. By John Thomson. 557 



"A Peeweep and Wliaup country " is the designation sometimes given 

 to a tract of marshy or late, unfertile, cultivated land. There the Peewit 

 is found in great abundance ; but the richer parts are also visited by this 

 beautiful bird, -where certain fields are often preferred howevei to others 

 adjoining — usually those having a clayey or damp soil, and which lie 

 highest. In level moorland districts, where the steadings are situated in 

 the midst of their haunts, this bird and the Curlew — especially the latter — 

 are much more familiar than in localities where they are not so constantly 

 brought into contact with persons. When journeying in Mocks, the Peewits 

 commonly form into a broad line, perhaps because they will thus be able to 

 scan the nature of a larger breadth of ground as they proceed. 



An OYSTER Catcher was shot on the upper confines of the parish in 

 July 1S7G. 



The Heron builds on some tall beeches, not far from Dawyck House, but 

 of late years, in consequence of the severity of our winters, in sadly 

 diminished numbers. 



The Sandpiper is a common object in a walk along this part of the 

 Tweed. It will, though seldom, ascend a brook, and one which had done 

 so flew off, when 1 surprised it, and landed in a potato field. A friend 

 informed me that when angling one evening in the Tweed, a pair of these 

 birds came fluttering along the ground, in extreme anxiety, to within a yard 

 or two of him. On looking about, a young Sandpiper which was observed 

 near explained their conduct, which betokened strong affection, when we 

 consider the ordinary rather shy habits of the species. 



A Water-Rail was shot in the parish a few years ago. 



Moor Hens are common, but Coots are scarce. The former chiefly 

 inhabit those parts of a stream, and lakes and ponds, beside which there 

 are bushes or other cover, into which they can quickly retreat when 

 alarmed. So loth are they sometimes to rise again, that I have twice 

 known them to be taken by the hand — once when partly concealed under 

 a block of ice, and on another occasion amongst rough herbage. A con- 

 tinuance of intense frost puts them to great straits in securing a livelihood. 

 They are forced to throw off their natural timidity, and to resort to the 

 neighbourhood of houses in the vicinity of water, where by stealthy 

 foraging they contrive to eke out an existence. The}' do not always depart 

 when the storm is over, but will remain till the following spring, and may 

 be seen swimming about in a pool among the domestic ducks, or even 

 associating with the other kinds of poultry. When thus semi-domesticated, 

 in the absence of any convenient shelter to escape to when frightened, they 

 will fly up and alight on the branches of trees ten or twelve feet from, 

 the ground. 



A female and young male Goosander were shot in the parish on Sth 

 February 1877. 



Of Gulls, the Black-headed variety is far the most numerous. Much 

 good service is rendered by it during its frequent incursions to tilled fields, 

 in the way of devouring numbers of injurious larva?; and in cases where 

 the latter have attacked young turnip plants that are being thinned these 



