1 28 Transactions. 



tances to travel before they can have a drink of water. About 

 some twenty -five or betwixt that and thirty years ago I had two 

 specimens of the same kind of birds sent me for preservation. If 

 I mistake not, they came from tlie Moffat district, but they were 

 too far gone and did not make good specimens. I have seen none 

 of tliem since until this last season, when I received seven nice 

 specimens. They have been met with in various parts of the coun- 

 try, always in flocks of a larger or smaller number. There are 

 several different species of the Sand Grouse, some found in Russia, 

 others in the deserts of Arabia, others in the north of Africa, and 

 also in Spain. The plumage is of a warm, sandy colour, resem- 

 bling the colour of the desert places that they frequent. I could 

 hear nothing of them having nested and reared their young while 

 here. Another very rare bird in this country is the Euddy Shiel- 

 drake. I had one sent me last summer, shot in the Solway. It is 

 much of the same size as the common Shieldrake, but very differ- 

 ently marked, being of a bright bay colour all over, and described 

 as being met with to the north of the Baltic breeding in rabbit- 

 holes, in the sand hills, much the same as the common Shieldrake. 

 I can find no account of it ever having been met with in this country. 

 Another little bird, the Spotted Crake, and also the Water Rail, 

 which is equally scarce, I have had specimens of this last season. 

 But although they are scarce they can hardly be called rare. The 

 Great Spotted Woodpecker is another scarce species. I had one, 

 shot last season in the immediate neighbourhood of the town, but 

 it is seldom that it is seen here. I once had a specimen of the 

 Lesser Spotted, shot at Amisfield thirty years ago, and have seen 

 none since. The Great Grey Shrike, or Butcher Bird, was sent me 

 this season from New-Galloway. It was shot feeding upon a hedge 

 sparrow that it had killed. As it cannot hold on with its claws 

 like a hawk, it transfixes its victim on a spike in the hedge, or else 

 in a cleft in the hedge, where it tears it to pieces and makes a meal 

 of it. About the month of August 1 received a specimen of the 

 Red-eyed or Dusky Grebe, a bird which is not often met with 

 here. It is a very beautiful species, a third larger than the Little 

 Grebe. Some years ago I had one sent me, shot on the Loch- 

 maben Loch. It is by no means common. I have had some 

 curious Hybrid Pheasants sent me this last season, one (a large bird), 

 betwixt the pheasant cock and barndoor fowl. It had quite a 

 pheasant tail, although not quite so long as in the pure breed, and 

 its general appearance shewed at once that it was a pheasant of 



