FROM A SOLWAY NOTEBOOK 69 



account of any immunity from persecution, which goes on in spite 

 of the law. It was reported in the local papers in March that ten 

 Ravens had been killed on Kenmure amongst other vermin so 

 called. One was also shot on Newtonairds about same time. A 

 fortnight ago I handled a very handsome bird, the pet of the family, 

 that had as a nestling fallen out of a nest on the sea-cliff in Rerrick 

 and been then brought up by hand. It has complete liberty, and 

 occasionally catches and devours one of the domestic pigeons. 

 One morning in June while it was at some distance from home in a 

 grass park, no less than four wild ravens appeared and were 

 \vatched endeavouring, as was thought, to entice the tame individual 

 away with them. He treated their overtures, however, with 

 contempt. 



SPOTTED REDSHANK ( Totanus fuscus}. Mr. R. M'Call, Carse- 

 thorn, followed for some time a Spotted Redshank in October, but 

 without success. As this gunner has shot this species before, and 

 knows its appearance and call note, he is perfectly confident that he 

 was not mistaken in the bird's identity. 



RUFF AND REEVE (Machetes pugnax). ~ - Mr. M'Call shot a 

 specimen of each near Carsethorn on loth October. 



RED-NECKED GREBE (Podicipes ruficollis). A fine o was shot 

 on the Nith on 6th October by a gunner named West, and was 

 brought to me same evening. This is a rare species in Solway. 



" WIRED " BIRDS. In the aggregate telegraph and telephone 

 wires must be accountable for a large amount of destruction to bird- 

 life. I had a Barn Owl killed in this way at Lochanhead Station 

 on 1 4th March, and a Spotted Crake, also picked up beneath the 

 wires at Noblehill, Dumfries, on 3rd September, both given to me. 

 Besides these, I picked up quite casually a Thrush in April, a 

 Blackbird on 315! May, a Thrush on 3oth September, a Blackbird 

 on 2nd October, all in the early morning, some of them still warm. 

 In addition to these I was shown two Nightjars, both of which had 

 been picked up under the wires on the morning of nth September, 

 one at Killywhan Station, the other in Dumfries, places over eight 

 miles apart. 



STORM-DRIVEN BIRDS. On 24th February a Guillemot was 

 picked up in a meadow close to Maxwelltown, which is over six miles 

 from the nearest part of the estuary, and much farther from the open 

 Firth. The bird was in good bright feather, but its body was in the 

 last stage of emaciation. Doubtless it had been blown inland by 

 the fierce south-wester of the previous night. Various other storm- 

 driven examples were got about same date. On the Caerlaverock 

 bird nets many Puffins were also caught, and the Stewartry side of 

 the Firth was strewn with Razorbills, and also Puffins and Guillemots. 

 An exhausted and terribly emaciated Gannet was caught on the 



