KiNNELHEAD ToWER, 423 



proportions; as, for instance, more than one stone can be 

 measured as 6 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. 6 in. by r foot 8 in., and a few 

 at 3 ft 6 m by 3 ft. 6 in. by i foot 6 in. And there is one 

 fallen from the walls and lying in the centre compartment which 



nZ^r f K ' ,' ''■ ' "• '^ ' ''■ '^^^ photograph shows a 

 number of these large stones. There is a spring of water in 

 the outer court. In conversation with a gentleman who was a 

 farm servant at Kinnelhead over 60 years ago I gathered that 



?',/Tn r ''"'^ •'"'* '''"''"'■ ^° ^^hat they are now. The 

 Gallowh: 1, Moffat, and the Bleeze Hill, Wamphray, two of the 

 Annandale beacon hills, are visible from the ruin, and it is 

 surrounded by the ruins of four other towers at nearly equal 

 distances. These are Lochwood and Auchencass, Kirkhope on 

 Daer Water, and Locharben on the west side of Queensberry. 

 .(These two last towers were built by Sir James Douglas of 

 Drumlanng previous to 1578.) There can be no doubt that the 

 Tums are the remains of a stronghold which must have been of 

 some importance in its day, and it seems strange that it should 

 have been passed by without some notice from the former anti- 

 quarians of this district, such as Dr Singer, etc. 



(The plan and photograph are in the Society's collection.) 



20t/i A2)rU, 1905. 



Chairman— The President. 



Exhibits -From Mr Lockerbie, Chemist, a nestling pigeon 

 ^ith two heads; from Mr Lauder, gamekeeper, BarnbaLch, a 



"T Tl f ,T ''^'' ^°""^ "■""""*''" by Mr Lauder in a newly 

 ploughed field at Barnbarroch; from Dr Martin, Holywood a 

 :sixpenny piece of the reign of William IIL, dated 1696, found 

 on the road at East Cluden; from Mr R. Service, a number of 

 specimens illustrating the following paper. 



The Rarer Birds of the Solway Area. By Mr Robert 

 Service. 



I have found it just a little difficult to define a " Raritv " 

 and to make up my mind on the question of inclusion or exclu- 

 sion. The rarity of to-day may be the commonplace species of 



