176 Movements of Birds on Migration at Chirnside. 



birds pass south, in November and north in March. These birds breed 

 principally in the secluded Lochs of Sutherland and the far north. 

 I am sure at one time I have seen the Gray Lag Goose, common 

 enough in the autumn, passing from east to west in Berwickshire. Till 

 the autumn of 1892, Geese were never seen by me, for many years, 

 on the ground in the Merse ; but in an oat stubble, in the parish of 

 Whitsome, a very large flock, in line, were feeding right across the 

 field. Upon leaving the road, the birds immediately rose and flew 

 off in a southerly direction. These appeared to me to be Gray Lags. 

 In the Lammermoor district they are sometimes shot when feeding 

 on the young grass fields, the young growths of which they greatly 

 damage. Very large flocks of the Pink-footed Geese, on migration, 

 frequent the marshy tarns on Coldingham Moor. A friend who has 

 a shooting there, erected a wooden hut in the centre of a tarn* in 

 the moor, where, at nightfall in the season, he watched the arrival 

 of these birds on the water ; shooting sixteen on one night and ten 

 on another. These Geese are the finest Wild-fowl for the table, in 

 quality excelling all Wild-ducks and other water birds. When, in hard 

 weather, they frequent the seashore, their flavour becomes inferior. 



Although, like some of the preceding notes anticipatory in date, the fol- 

 lowing recent observations of Dr Stuart, dated 23rd Feby. 1894, are more 

 suitable, as a continuation of this paper, than if delayed till next Part. 



I wish to record particularly the presence of the Goldfinch, Siskin, and 

 Bullfinch in my neighbourhood, in unusual numbers. Yesterday I was 

 within ten yards of a beautiful cock Goldfinch for five minutes and more, 

 while he was feeding on a rough bank near Huttonhall Barns. Before 

 Christmas, I saw a pair of the same birds, within a few hundred yards of 

 the same spot. Mr Mitchell Innes's keeper saw a pair of Goldfinches below 

 Allanton Bridge in June last, so that these birds may possibly be nesting 

 once more in our district. Forty-six years ago, they were not uncommon 

 on Crossrig, where Henderson, in his Rhymes, describes the place " Poor 

 Corsrig, so many Horse Gowans, etc., to the acre," but I forget if he 

 mentions Thistles, the natural food of the Goldfinch, but there were 

 plenty of them also ; and it was when they were feeding on them that I 

 used to see them. After many years absence the Siskin, a first cousin of 

 the Goldfinch, has again put in an appearance. I saw them first at Billie 

 Mains, near the alders, fringing the banks of the Fosterland Burn (a classic 

 ■stream, a famous resort of the fairy folk, according to Henderson) not far 

 from the witch-haunted Edincraw. At Blanerne I was within a few yards 

 of a hungry specimen feeding on the seeds of the Common Nettle, which 

 it was devouring greedily, and on several occasions besides these birds have 

 been seen. The Bullfinch is mostly seen in winter here. At seven different 

 localities in the district his presence has been observed : — At Harelaw 

 quarry. Mains, Chirnside, I observed a pair in summer, evidently nesting ; 

 Whiterig, Foulden, Hutton Bridge, Chirnside Bridge, Ninewells, Foulden 

 Newton are the other places where they were seen. 



* In the "Long Moss," Coldingham Moor, part of it still belonging 

 to Coldingham feuars. — J.H. 



