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is very rare. The Sedge Warbler must pass through the parish, 

 although I have not seen it. It seems that tliere is no authentic 

 record of the Marsh Tits having been found in either Dumfries- 

 shire or Kirkcudbrightshire, but twice last winter a pair were 

 observed along with Coal and Longtailed Tits. Snow Buntings are 

 seen every winter, occasionally in large flocks, but more frequently 

 only two or three together. The Black-headed Bunting is 

 rare. About most farm-yards one or two Bramblhigs are 

 found, and very rarely a large flock is seen in the tields. 

 Great numbers of Twites frequent the lower ground, par- 

 ticularly fields in which Prunella vulgaris abounds. Now and 

 then the croak of the Raven is heard as it sails slowly along the 

 hills. The Sand Martin and Swift are not common. The Wood- 

 cock is not plentiful. A pair were seen in the end of April last, 

 which probably remained to breed, as it would appear their 

 nests are found mucli more frequently of late years, and gradually 

 extending soutliwards. I had frequent opportunities of seeing 

 tliis bird carry its young to feeding ground on the west coast of 

 Argyllshire. During tlie month of June numbers were to be 

 seen every evening, from ten to eleven o'clock, leaving the woods 

 for marshy ground, with their legs hanging down to their full 

 length and tlieir young clasped between their feet. The Jleron 

 frequents all the streams. . Tlie Teal is very rare. Tlie Black- 

 Iteaded Gull is abundant. From one to three Great Black-backed 

 Gulls are seen occasionally about the hills during the sprint 

 months when carrion is plentiful. There is in Dr Grierson's 

 Museum in Thornhill a specimen of the Golden Oriole sliot in the 

 parish of Tynron some thirty years ago. 



II. Azotes on Local Ornithology for 1885. By Mr W. Hastings. 



There is little to note this year regarding anything in the 

 British bird line that can properly be called rare, so far as my 

 observation has gone, although several specimens have been 

 forwarded to me for preservation that are not commonly met with 

 in this district. There was a great scarcity of the Martin and 

 Swift this year, which usually visit us every summer in consider- 

 able numbers. On the other hand, the Sand Martin was more 

 than usually plentiful. The Cuckoo, too, was more than usually 

 frequent. A great number of them was sent to me from diflerent 

 parts of the country, the majority of them being young birds of 

 this year. In the month of June I had a young Woodcock sent 



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