Ne 
s4 
Transactions. 7 
The report was unanimously adopted, and the Treasurer 
awarded the thanks of the Society for his honorary services. 
CommitTTEr’s Report ON THE CONVERSAZIONE. 
The Secretary read a report prepared by the Committee on the 
recent conversazione, referring to articles exhibited, &c., and 
acknowledging their indebtedness to the many ladies and gentle- 
men who had rendered assistance. On the motion of Mr J. 8. 
Thomson, the report was unanimously adopted, and the Committee 
thanked 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. Hastines. 
As far as my observation has gone with regard to our local 
birds, the most noteworthy 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 (H. 
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 month of June I received a fine specimen 
of the male turtle dove (Columba turtur), shot in Tinwald, and 
later in the month a female of the same species shot in the neigh- 
bourhood of Kirkcudbright. The wild turtle is a migratory bird, 
