70 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



shore opposite the garden-foot of Arbigland on i6th May. When 

 captured it was sitting asleep with head under its shoulder feathers. 

 It was confined in a mushroom house when I saw it the following 

 day, and had recovered somewhat under the revivifying influences 

 of a meal of small flounders. Gannets are scarce visitors to the 

 Firth at least inside of Southerness although once perhaps in a 

 season, two or three may be seen fishing at high tide. 



STING RAY (Trygon pastinced). An unusual species in our 

 waters. A good specimen from Carsluith was added to the nice 

 little mounted and preserved collection of local fishes in the Kirkcud- 

 bright Museum in June. 



SCAD OR HORSE MACKAREL (Caranx trachurus). This is a 

 species of uncommon occurrence in Solway waters. There is a 

 specimen in the Kirkcudbright Museum from the estuary of the 

 Dee; a second was sent me on ist August 1898, by Mr. Pool, of 

 the Port Ling fishery ; and I can now record a third which I 

 received from Mr. Harris, Carsethorn, on nth November. 



SEA BREAM. Of very scarce and irregular occurrence in our 

 waters. I received a small example in September from Carsethorn. 



EQUOREAL PIPE FISH (Nerophis cequoreus}. On 28th March I 

 had the pleasure of handling this species, a fish new to the Solway 

 list. The specimen was a fine one, nearly 23 inches in length, and 

 brightly coloured. The smell was of the strongest and fishiest. It 

 had been caught in one of the paidle nets near Glencaple at the 

 mouth of the Nith. Within the next few days every tide brought 

 the same species in, in hundreds. The fishermen attributed the 

 capture of such slender eel-like fishes to the amount of " floating- 

 rubbish " brought in by the strong swell caused by the stormy 

 weather, which choked the nets, and so prevented such fish from 

 getting through the meshes. 



EELS (Anguilla anguiHci}. The migration of young from the 

 sea up the rivers took place unusually late. The first was noticed 

 on ist June. 



GLOW-WORMS (Lampyris noctiluca). Unusual numbers of these 

 attractive insects were observed at their rather widely spread 

 localities in this area in early July. The moist atmosphere that 

 prevailed at that time may have conduced to a greater electric 

 display. 



DEATH'S-HEAD MOTH (Acherontia atropos).--\ have two 

 occurrences to record. One was caught at Annan on 2yth 

 September, another, a beautiful example, which I set for its captor, 

 was found in the kitchen of the farmhouse of Borland of Caerlaverock, 

 on 1 8th October. 



