6 Transactions. 



Loreburn Street School ; T. Laing, Noblehill ; J. Thomson, 

 Midtowii, Carlaverock ; R. Paterson, High Street ; and W. 

 Smith, Terregles Street. 



Donatioiis. — Tlie Transactions of the Linnean Society, from 

 W. D. Robinson Douglas, Esq., in parts — on Zoology from Feb., 

 1874, to Oct., 1883 ; and on Botany, from Feb., 1877, to Sept., 

 1883. The Transactions of the Glasgow Natural History Society 

 for 1881-82. Two old volumes from Mr Riddick — one on 

 "The Heart's Ease," by Dr S. Patrick, printed 1682; the other 

 on "Dying Thoughts," by Rev. W. Crawford, 1744. The Chair- 

 man presented about 100 specimens of minerals and rocks of the 

 district. 



Communications. 



I. Ornithological Notes. By Mr W. Hastings. 



Amongst a great variety of birds that have been forwarded to me 

 from various parts of the country for preservation during this year, 

 I have very little to note of any species that can be called rare, 

 although some of them are by no means common. In the month 

 of September I received a fine specimen of the female black- 

 tailed godwit (Limosa yEgocephala L.), the second one that I have 

 Iiad killed in the district. It is a small light-bodied bird, not 

 larger than the golden plover (charadrius pluvialis), with very 

 long, slender legs, adapting it for wading in the shallow pools 

 upon the banks of rivers left there by the ebbing tide. About 

 tlie same time I received a curious specimen of the ring ouzel 

 (ttirdus torquatus) or mountain blackbird, with a pure white 

 head and neck, which gave it a very unusual appearance. I 

 have had the common blackbird marked in much the same way, 

 but never the mountain one. It frequents the rocky glens 

 throughout the country, and I have seen tlie peregrine falcon 

 (falco 2>eregrinus Gm.) and it having their nests both upon the same 

 rock. In the same month I received a fine specimen of the male 

 shoveller (sjiatula clypeata L.) I have had the duck many times, 

 but never the drake. It was shot in Wigtownshire. The great 

 black-backed gull (larios marinus) seems to be more plentiful 

 this winter than usual. I have had a good many specimens 

 lately ; it is a large and fine species. In the month of October I 

 received a box containing among other things four specimens of 

 the small crested cormorant or shag (phalacrocorax cristatus F.) 

 a species that is not met with in this district, but is known to 



