8 Transactions. 



and is very irregular in making its appearance in tins country, 

 many years passing without one being seen or heard of here. 

 Some years ago I had one sent me which had been sliot in the 

 neighbourhood of Sanquhar. In the month of June I had a male 

 puffin or coulterneb ( Fratercida arctica) sent me from the neigh- 

 bourhood of Kirkcudbright. It breeds in great numbers upon 

 Ailsa Craig. In the same month I received a fine specimen of 

 the golden eagle (Aquila chryscetusj, trapped in Glencoe. It 

 measui'ed about tliree feet in length, and seven feet in tlie stretch 

 of the wings. These birds are scarce now, even in their native 

 Highlands. In September I received two oyster catchers 

 ( Ila^maiopns ostralegus), which liad been knocked down and 

 killed, among a great many others, by a tremendous whii^lwind 

 that occurred upon the 5th of that month in the neighbourhood 

 of the Brow Well. Many of tlie birds were daslied against a 

 wire fence, and had their heads cut oft' almost as clean as if it 

 had been done with a knife. Some of our small birds had their 

 numbers sadly reduced by a severe winter we had some years ago ; 

 but they now seem as plentiful as ever. I may also add that in 

 the month of August a curious specimen of the bat, taken in 

 Troqueer parish, was sent to me. It resembles the common bat 

 in its form and colour, but is a full third larger. I am not quite 

 sure of its specific name. 



II. Notes on Local Botany for 1886. By Dr A. Davidson. 



Last year when I had the honour of addressing you I hazarded 

 the opinion that it was probably the last time I would be able to 

 record anything new for this district, but I am happy to say I 

 have again been so fortunate as to make a few new, and I 

 trust, not unimportant additions to the Flora of Dumfriesshire. 

 I almost require to apologise for making so small a record the 

 basis of a paper, but your energetic secretary, rightly desiring 

 all papers to be of local interest, would take no denial. So far as 

 the theory of this principle was concerned, I entirely concurred 

 with him, but I cannot say I quite agreed with the demand for a 

 practical proof of my adherence. 



The season has altogether been unfavourable for field botanists. 

 The most severe of winters was followed by a cold spring and a 

 tardy and inclement summer. The coltsfoot Howers opened their 

 petals for a few days in ther last week of March, only to close 

 them beneath a fresh snowfall, and not till near the middle of 



