7Vni7sactions. 7 



The report was unanimously adopted, and the Treasurer 

 awarded the thanks of tlie Society for his honorary services. 



Committee's Report on the Conversazione. 



The Secretary read a report prepared by the Committee on the 

 recent conversazione, referring to articles exliibited, itc, and 

 acknowledging their indebtedness to the many ladies and gentle- 

 men who had rendered assistance. On the motion of Mr J. S. 

 Thomson, the report was unanimously adopted, and the Committee 

 tiianked for their trouble, special reference being made to Mr J. 

 Barbour, V.P., and to Mr J. Wilson, Hon. Secretary. The thanks 

 of the Society were then awarded to the exhibitors, and to the 

 ladies and gentlemen who had assisted with the arrangements, 

 on the motion of Mr M'Dowall. 



On the motion of the Secretary, it was agreed that the report 

 be extended so as to include a description of the many exhibits, 

 and that it be embodied in the next part of the Transactions. 

 See Appendix. 



Communications. 



I. Local Ornithological Notes for 1886. By Mr W. Hastings. 



As far as my observation has gone with regard to our local 

 birds, the most iioteworthy incident is the immense sacrifice of 

 life which took place among the swallow tribe shortly after their 

 arrival in this country to spend the summer with us. After 

 they had made their appearance in unusually large numbers, a 

 tract of uncongenial cold weather set in which completely 

 prevented the insects upon which the swallows subsist from 

 stirring abroad, so that the poor birds were starved to death, and 

 were picked up in great numbers throughout the country. I had 

 a great many sent me from the district round about. The com- 

 mon or barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) was numerous ; the 

 house martin (Hirundo urbica) next ; and the sand martin (II. 

 riparia) fewest in numbers. The swift (Cypselus apus), fortu- 

 nately for himself, did not arrive until more genial weather had 

 set in. Such a mortality among the tribe has never occurred in 

 my time. Early in the montii of June I received a fine specimen 

 of the male turtle dove (Colurnha turturj, shot in Tinwald, and 

 later in the month a female of the same species shot in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Kirkcudbright. Tiie wild turtle is a migratory bird, 



