Notes on Birds in the Eastern Borders. 331 



plumage, beautifully pencilled and streaked with rich brown, 

 being most attractive. 



November Srd — a flock of Golden Plovers passed over 

 Edington to-day. 4th November — the note of the Corn 

 Bunting heard, and the bird seen near my house ; and from 

 this date, onwards till the end of the year, these birds are 

 in increasing numbers about the outlying stacks at Harelaw, 

 in this parish. 



From the 4th November, till the end of the year, there 

 is not much to record. Great flocks of Green Plovers on 

 some days, amounting to many thousands, have never left 

 the district, and it is most interesting to watch their flight 

 morning and evening. These birds are regular in their 

 movements, and observe a military formation in their flights. 



A rather rare example of the strong love birds have for 

 their young was lately' brought under my notice. At a 

 house in my neighbourhood a pair of Swallows built their 

 nest, in the corner of the window of an upper room. Having 

 reared a nestful of young ones till they were nearly fledged, 

 a great storm of wind and rain beat upon the clay structure 

 till it fell to the ground. The occupier of the house very 

 humanely placed the nest and its inhabitants in a little 

 basket, and nailed it into the very spot from which the nest 

 fell. The old birds attended to their young till they flew ; 

 but clayed up the basket till it became an exaggerated 

 habitation. 



P.S. — I am sorry to hear that a forester actually cut down 

 the hollow tree in which the Great Spotted Woodpeckers, 

 for two years, had reared their young at Duns Castle ; but 

 I am happy to give the information that, by Mr Ferguson's 

 orders, it has again been erected, in a perpendicular position, 

 and it is to be hoped that next season these birds will 

 again be induced to occupy their old quarters. 



