Birp NOTEs. 131 
beneficent Act, the Wild Birds Protection Act, originated and 
largely improved in various amendments by Sir Herbert Maxwell, 
and only the other day an important alteration was made. 
Woodcocks were protected from the first of March to the first 
of August, and by an extension recently adopted by the three 
County Councils of Dumfries, Kirkcudbright, and Wigtown, 
they were protected till the first of October. He noticed a 
communication to the “Times ’’ a few days ago by Sir Herbert, 
in which he approves of the extension on the score that local 
sportsmen will now get a certain amount of woodcocks bred ir 
our own neighbourhood. It was a question if the baronet was: 
right; he doubted very much if he was. It was the case that 
our own local woodcocks went away from their breeding places as 
soon as the nesting season was over, and immediately they were 
strong enough to go on the wing ; and he thought that the extension 
of the period would have the effect of allowing some foreigner to 
have a larger share of the woodcocks than he was entitled to. 
GLEANINGS OF OLD DumrrRies AND GaALLoway. ‘Translated in 
the British Museum from the Register of the Great Seal of 
Scotland. By Dr E. J. Cuinnocx. 
Tue LoRDSHIP OF GALLOWAY. 
1426. The 21st year of James I. At Edinburgh, 3rd May. 
The King has granted to his sister Margaret, Duchess of 
Tyrone, Countess of Douglas, Lady of Galloway and Anand- 
dale, that she should hold and possess the lordship of Gallo- 
way, for the whole of her life, with all the liberties, statutes, 
and customs as Archibald, Duke of Tyrone, etc., the King’s 
brother, or Archibald de Douglas, the said Duke’s father, held 
in their times. 
Tue LorpsHip OF ANNANDALE. 
1427. 21st year of James I. At Edynburgh, 3rd Jan. 
The King has confirmed a charter of the late Archibald, 
Earl of Douglas, etc. [by which he granted to Michael de 
Ramsay, for his service, the lands of Ramarskalis and Grene- 
landis in the lordship of Anand-dale, which belonged to William, 
the son of Henry: also he granted to the aforesaid M. de R. 
and his wife Christian and to the survivor and to the heirs of 
