( 147 ) 
A PRELIMINARY LIST OP THE BIRDS OP THE 
MELROSE DISTRICT. 
By a. H. Evans, M.A., F.L.S. 
{Continued fro?n p. 113.) 
Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida). Sparingly distributed over the 
rivers and burns, chiefly the former. A pair or two are still to be 
found on the Tweed both above and below Melrose; the nest has 
been found near Kelso, Lauder, and Stobo, while the bird certainly 
breeds on the Teviot. In 1874 there was a great decrease in 
its numbers, possibly owing to the great floods of that year spoiling 
many nests, while the severe winter of 1878-9 again lessened the 
stock. 
Roller {Goracias garrula). Only recorded from Northumber- 
land, as far as the Border districts are concerned. 
Hoopoe {Upupa epops). Not recorded nearer than Northum- 
berland. 
Cuckoo {Cuculus canorus). A very common bird with us, 
especially on the heather-covered hills, where it usually deposits 
its eggs in the nest of the Meadow Pipit. Though never an early 
breeder, seldom laying before the middle or end of May, it is very 
irregular with regard to the time ; for I have found on the same 
day a fresh egg in one nest and a partly fledged young bird in 
another a few hundred yards off, while eggs may be found from 
May until quite the end of June, or even July. The date of ap- 
pearance is usually about April 25th. 
Barn Owl {StHx fiammed). About the middle of the cen- 
tury this o wl became extremely rare in most parts of the district, 
and nesting sites on or near the lower Tweed valley were deserted 
and have never since been occupied; but on the higher reaches 
of that river and throughout the country round, a considerable 
number of pairs have always been found, and at the present time 
they seem to be on the increase at Kelso. At Lauder they used 
to be common, though they are not so now, and at Cherrytrees 
near Yetholm a pair built their nest annually in the ivy covering 
of a larch tree. But the two following species are much more plen- 
tiful than the present bird. 
