ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OP THE SOUTH OF SCOTLAND. 239 
The House Sparrow is very rarely to be seen in any of the valleys ; the Sky 
Lark is not so plentiful as in lower districts^ but the Meadow Pipit, Antkus pra- 
temisy is extremely abundant. Emheriza miliara and E, sckmnicuius are rather 
rare. The Common Crossbill I have had from the Rev. Mr. Adam, of Peebles. 
Hirundo rusiicay H. urhicay and H. riparia^ are seen in most of the dis¬ 
tricts, although by no means'plentiful. 
Motacilla alba and M, boaruia are frequent, and M.Jiaveda occurs rarely. 
The Raven breeds in several places in the higher part of the group, as does the 
Carrion Crow; but the Hooded Crow is nowhere seen. The Rook is common, 
the Jackdaw occurs' in a few places, and the Magpie is rare. The Jay is found 
in a few places along the Tweed. 
Tetrao tetrix and Lagopus Scoticus are both numerous; but the Ptarmigan 
does not occur in the southern division of Scotland. Perdix cinerea is plentiful 
in the lower grounds. Columba palumbus is also plentiful. The Pheasant has 
been introduced in several parts. 
The Cuckoo and Goatsucker occur, the latter very rare, as is the Kingfisher, 
Alcedo ispiday which has been seen on the Tweed. 
The Eagles seem to have been extirpated. It is mentioned, however, in one 
of the Statistical Reports, that a White-tailed Eagle^had been seen in 1831. The 
claws of one seen at Birkhill by Sir William Jardine, belonged to the Golden 
Eagle. The Common Buzzard, the Sparrow Hawk, and the Kestrel, I have 
seen in various parts. The Peregrine Falcon breeds in several places, among 
others on the rock of the Grey-mare’s-tail. The Merlin and Hen Harrier I in¬ 
troduce on the authority of Sir William Jardine. The Bam Owl and Brown 
Owl are the only species of Strigidse of whose occurrence I am certain. 
The Graiiatores observed are Ardea cinereay Vanellus cristatusy Totanus hypo- 
kucosy Charadrim pluvialiSy Tringa alpinay Numenius arquata, Scolopax rus-> 
ticohy S.galUnagOy S.gaUinuhy Rallm aquaticuSy Gallinula creXy and G. ehloropus. 
Swans and Geese are sometimes seen on St. Mary's Loch i but the only species 
of this family which I have met with are the common Wild Duck, the Teal, and 
the Golden-eye. In January last I saw a fine specimen of Mergus serratoTy 
which had been shot on the Tweed. The Great Blackbacked Gull I have seen 
soaring over the bed of the Ettrick near Selkirk, not far from which is a breed¬ 
ing place of Earns ridibundus. 
For specimens of many of these birds I am indebted to Sir Thomas G. Car¬ 
michael, Bart., of Stirling, and the Rev. Mr. Adam, of Peebles. No doubt se¬ 
veral other species occur in the district; but the above are all whose occurrence I 
have ascertained. 
The reptiles are the Viper, the Slow-worm, the Common Lizard, the Common 
Newt, the Frog, and the Toad, 
