"The Birds of Dumfriesshire." '2'6 



dated 1840, in which he refers to the comparative rarity of 

 this species in Scotland at that date. (p. 58). 



THE SWALLOW. The first Swallows were seen locally in 1911 

 on April 19th, near Capenoch (Keir). On October 28th, 1911, 

 six or seven Swallows were observed skimming about the surface 



of the water on the Annan close to the Town.'^ 



THE MARTIN. A white Martin is recorded as hatched neai 

 Ecclefechan (Hoddom) in the spring of 1911.'' 



THE BRITISH GOLDFINCH. I am certain that this species 

 is on the increase throughout the county. 



THE HOUSE SPARROW. A cream-coloured individual was 

 reported to me by Mr. J. Corrie as seen near Moniaive (Glen- 

 cairn) in June, 1911. 



THE CHAFFINCH. A " Shelfie wholly white with the excep- 

 tion of a small brown bar across one of the wings " was 

 recorded as frequenting Cleughbrae Mill farm, near Eccle- 

 fechan, (Hoddom) during the winter of 1 910-191 1.^ It mated 

 the following spring, but none of its progeny were white. 



THE COMMON CROSSBILL. A small flock was seen at 

 Craigdarroch (Glencairn) on November 9th, 1911. 



THE TWO-BARRED CROSSBILL. A record of the occur- 

 rence of this species in 1882 near Rothiemurchus, Inverness- 

 shire,^ would (if good ?) make the Dumfriesshire record the 

 third, and not the second, of its occurrence in Scotland, 

 (p. 99.) 



THE YELLOW BUNTING. In explanation of the rhymes 

 current locally as regards the connection of this species with 

 his Satanic majesty, " Chambers says that this bird (called 

 Devil's bird in the North of Scotland) is the subject of an 

 unaccountable superstition on the part of the peasantry, who 



3 Dumfries Courier and Herald, Nov. 8th, 1911. 



4 Dumfries Courier and Herald, Sept. 9th, 1911. 



5 Op. a., Feb. 11th, 1911. 



■ 6 British Birds (Mag.), Vol. v., pp. 24, 25. 



