"The Birds of Dumfriesshire." 33 



THE SPOTTED CRAKE. One, which had killed itself by 

 flying against the telegraph wires, was picked up in Holywood 

 village on August 24th, 1910. 



THE WATER-RAIL. I saw a bird of this .species near Byre- 

 holm (Keir) on February 4th, 1911. 



THE LAPWING. The flock of "at least 50,000 birds " seen 

 "near Maxwelltown " in 1900, were on the farm of Garrol, 

 Kirkcudbrightshire, (p. 371.) 



On August 1st, 1911, I shot a Lapwing at Capenoch 

 (Keir), whose feet had become entangled in sheeps' wool. 

 One foot had been completely worn off, and the other was 

 pitifully distorted and swollen. The bird was in an emaciated 

 condition. 



On August 8th, 1911, I found a young Lapwing which had 

 not yet gained its power of flight, and which must therefore 

 have been hatched at an unusually late date. 



THE OYSTER-CATCHER. I saw a pair of these birds at 

 Loch Urr (Glencairn) on May 22nd, 1911. I could find no 

 nest, but quite possibly this had been destroyed along with 

 many of the more accessible nests of the Black-headed Gulls. 

 An Oyster-catcher was seen at Auchanstroan (Glencairn) 

 early in September, 1911. 



THE WOODCOCK. A Woodcock with white primaries was 

 shot in Capenoch Big Wood (Keir) about 1880. 



A light lavender-coloured Woodcock was shot near San- 

 quhar on December 3rd, 1910, and is now in my collection, 

 thanks to the generosity of Mr. A. R. Greaves. 



The winter of 1910 proved a good season; and I heard of 

 thirty-three Woodcocks being killed in one day at Langholm in 

 November; twenty-eight in the same month at Springkell 

 (Kirkpatrick-Fleming); and twenty-two near Drumlaiirig on 

 November 29th, 1910. 



The following spring more Woodcock than usual nested 

 locally, and over fifty birds were picked up and ringed 

 "B.Q." near Langholm. I was informed of a nest with four 



