103 
A PRELIMINARY LIST OP THE BIRDS OF THE 
MELROSE DISTRICT. 
By a. H. Evans, M.A., F.Z.S. 
WHILE not pretending to be perfect, this list may, perhaps, 
be useful to anyone requiring information about the 
birds of the Border country. It includes the whole county of 
Roxburgh and portions of those of Selkirk, Peebles, Berwick, and 
Northumberland ; while references have purposely been given in 
many cases to records of species from places near these parts, 
though hardly within the prescribed limits. Many of the details are 
-due to the late Archibald Jerdon of Jedbank, and the late Andrew 
Brotherston of Kelso — both extremely accurate and careful ob- 
servers — while the valuable notes from Mr. George Bolam of Ber- 
wick-on-Tweed, and Mr. W. Boyd of Faldonside, with papers by Mr. 
A. Kelly of Lauder, and Mr. J. Thomson of Stobo in the History 
of the Berwickshire Naturalists^ Club, have furnished much addi- 
tional matter, which would have been otherwise hard to obtain. 
I ,hope at some future time to be able to make additions and 
emendations to the present sketch; of the latter I am conscious 
many will be found necessary. 
Mistletoe Thrush ( Turdus viscivorus). Here, as in other por- 
tions of the Borders, this species has extended its breeding range 
considerably during the last half century. Owing to the severe 
winters experienced lately, the number of birds is not at present so 
great as usual^ but is again on the increase. 
Song Thrush {Turdus musicus). A common resident. 
. \ Winter visitors in great qua,n- 
Redwing (Turdus iliacus). \ ^ ^ 
Fieldfare ( Turdus pilaris). | J^,^,J^^,^ 
White's Thrush {Turdus varius). Mr. Forbes Burn ob- 
tained a specimen of this rare thrush at Hardacres in Berwick- 
shire in the last week of December, 1876, as recorded in Hist, 
Ber. Nat. Club, viii., p. 518, by the late Andrew Brotherston. 
Blackbird {Turdus ??ierula). Found breeding everywhere. 
Ring Ouzel {Turdus torquatus). In the Melrose district 
proper this bird is not seen in the breeding season, its chief nest- 
ing-quarters being in that part of Roxburghshire near Yetholm, 
where it is common, and in the upper valleys of the Jed and 
