The Vektep.kates of Solway. 27 



Common Buzzard {Buteo vulgaris, Leach), 



of whicli a few pairs only are now left on suitable tracts of 

 country. 



The Golden Eagle {Aquila Chrysoetos, L.)- 



This Eagle nested in Dumfriesshire up till 1833, and till well 

 after 1850 on some of the Galloway hills. 



The Sea Eagle {Haliceius albicilla, L.). 



The Sea Eagle has been much scarcer everywhere in Britain 

 than the Golden Eagle, not receiving, like its congener, the protec- 

 tion of the deer forests. Tliere were eyries of this species on the 

 Burrow Head and Mull of Galloway at the beginning of the 

 century, and it is said to have been White-tailed Eagles that bred 

 on Loch Skene. I doubt this, and am of opinion that the White- 

 tailed Eagle ceased to nest in Solway cousiderably earlier than the 

 Golden Eagle did. 



The Ospeey {Pandion haliahis^ L.). 



The Fishing Eagle, bred in Galloway at, at least, two places, 

 Loch Skerrow and the Glenhead Lochs, till about 1860. 



The Tukted Duck {Fu/igula cristata. Leach). 



This bird comes on my list now as a relief from the dis- 

 agreeable task of recording so many extinct or disappearing species 

 Always well-known as a winter visitant, the Tufted Duck was 

 first discovered breeding within our area by myself in 1887. Since 

 then it has spread amazingly, and there is scarcely a loch in the 

 three counties but has a pair of them upon its surface in summer. 



The Stock Dove {Columha anas, L.). 



This species is another very welcome addition to our resident 

 breeding birds that has airived here quite recently. In 1876 it 

 was found breeding in Southwick. Since then it has spread, not 

 only over Solway, but over the most of Scotland. 



The Pheasant {Phasiatius cokhicus L.). 



According to a statement in the "Old Statistical Account," 

 the Pheasant was introduced to the woods of Eskdale about 1790 

 by the Duke of Buccleuch, There was an introduction at Jardine- 



