Gommunications on Birds. 193 



(4) Notice of the Dotterel {Eudromius morinellus, L.) near 

 DiRLETON, East Lothian. By David Bruce, Station Master 

 N.B.R.. Dunbar. 



On 22nd May last, while travelling by rail from Dunbar to North 

 Berwick, in company with Mr H. F. Witherby, naturalist, Blackheath, 

 London, we observed some birds resting in a fallow field adjoining 

 Dirleton Station. Our train was standing at the platform at the time. 

 Mr Witherby and another gentleman, who was also with us, turned 

 their glasses 07i them and declared them to be Dotterel. 1 also had 

 a look, and could make out three of them distinctly. The train 

 started before we could come to a definite conclusion about them. 



The case was deemed of sufficient importance to warrant the hire 

 of a trap at North Berwick, in which we returned to Dirleton, calling 

 first on Mr Anderson, farmer, Kingston, who kindly gave us permission 

 to go into the field. The birds allowed us to approach within thirty 

 yards of them, and we had a splendid opportunity of observing them, 

 both with the glass and naked eye. There were eight birds all 

 together, and Mr Anderson informed us they had been there for 

 three or four days. 



The Dotterel Plover (Charadrius morinellus) is rather rare at the 

 present day, but it still nests in Scotland, on the Cairngorms. It 

 also nested at one time in Sutherlandshire, and may do so still. The 

 nest is usually situated on the mountain tops, made in the usual 

 Plover fashion. Eggs, three or four in number, are of n size between 

 those of the Snipe and Peewit — ground colour yellow, with black and 

 brownish spots. Eggs are laid about the end of May, but oftenest 

 in June. 



Mr Witherby has recorded this in the Zoologist. 



8th October 1894. 



(5) Carrion Crow versus Rooks. By Charles Douglas, 

 M.D., Woodside, Kelso. 



A Carrion Crow had been seen and heard during the first week 

 of April (1894) at the rookery at Woodside, Kelso— a small rookery 

 of from 80 to 100 nests, but which had been there many years, 

 summer and winter. On Sunday, the 8th, there was a great 

 commotion, the Crow lying down on the ground attacked by a large 

 number of Rooks ; but it would appear to have made its escape. 

 Three days later the Rooks disappeared altogether from the premises, 

 and not one has been seen since to settle on the trees where the 

 nests are (24th May.) 

 Z 



