6 Transactions. 
Loreburn Street School; T. Laing, Noblehill; J. Thomson, 
Midtown, Carlaverock; R. Paterson, High Street; and W. 
Smith, Terregles Street. 
Donations.—The 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. Hastinas. 
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 dgocephala L.), the second one that I have 
had 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 
the same time I received a curious specimen of the ring ouzel 
(turdus 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 the peregrine falcon 
(falco peregrinus Gm. )and it having their nests both upon the same 
rock. In the same month I received a fine specimen of the male 
shoveller (spatula clypeata L.) Ihave had the duck many times, 
but never the drake. It was shot in Wigtownshire. The great 
black-backed gull (larus 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 
