120 NOTES FROM GARDEN AND FIELD 



the food being scarcer, it is a rare sight to see more 

 than one at a time. Within the last three years I have 

 observed one at Foulden, on a rough hedge bank ; one at 

 Hutton Hall Barns; and a pair at the Kebby Burn. Hutton 

 Hall ; also a friend saw one on the park wall, Foulden 

 House. Bird catchers have told me that the Whitadder 

 banks, between Edington Mill and Hutton Bridge— where 

 thistles, A. centaurea, and burrs abound — Goldfinches are not 

 uncommon. 



The Sand Martin arrived at Allanton Bridge on 4th April; 

 left on 4th August. Swallows on 21st- April; left on 4th 

 October. The Cuckoo arrived at Blackburn, Chirnside, on 

 28th April; left on 23rd June. The House Martin on 30th 

 April ; left on 20th September. The Landrail, or Corncrake, 

 arrived at Duns Parks on 8th May; left on 1st August. 

 Several young birds remained a month longer. Cypselus 

 apus, the Swift, arrived on 5th May; left on 30th August. 

 Three weeks later than usual, the Redstart arrived on 4th 

 May; left on 1st August; very scarce here this season. The 

 Whitethroat arrived on 16th May; left on 4th September, 

 and was very plentiful here in all the wild hedges. The 

 Willow Wren arrived on 24th April ; left on 4th September. 



Caprimulc/us Uuropceus. — The Nightjar is a true migrant, 

 and a night Swallow. It generally is seen early in May, 

 if weather is good. With large open mouth, it flies in a 

 furtive manner at the edges of the wood, catching moths, 

 etc.. as it moves along. It is a very shapely, handsome 

 bird, with rich brown plumage, and the mechanism of the 

 mouth is unique, as it opens as if on a hinge. Moths are 

 said to fly in, but I cannot vouch for the truth of this. A 

 keeper, who was watching at dusk to shoot me a Daubentons 

 Bat, got a chance at the Nightjar, and shot it. I sent the 

 specimen to Mr Eagle Clarke, at the Museum of Science 

 and Art, which was in beautiful plumage, and few birds 

 have so handsome a coat. 



Sylvia curruca, the Lesser Whitethroat. I never got my 

 eyes on a single specimen of this interesting bird in 1899. 

 A wild hedge near Hutton Hall, where it was at one time 

 to be seen, has been cut to the ground, and there was no 

 cover. At Allanton Bridge, where I had opportunities of 



