TRANSACTIONS. 75 
cock (Scolopax Rusticola) is common as a winter visitor, and, I 
have reason to believe, not infrequent as a nesting species. Last 
summer, for instance, a pair took up their quarters in a small 
plantation on the Glencairn side of the hill-ridge separating Glen- 
cairn from Tynron. The cry of the birds was often heard on still 
nights, and the locality being a suitable nesting one, I have not 
a doubt the birds remained to breed. Sportsmen speak of the 
woodecock as “a hard-winged bird,” and anyone who is familiar 
with it can recognise it at once by the rattle of its wings on taking 
to flight. Another peculiarity is the eyes, which are remarkably 
large and fine, hence Butler in his “ Hudibras” speaks of men 
“finditig woodcocks by their eyes.” In marshy tracts throughout 
the parish the Common Snipe (Scolopax Gallinago) occurs plenti- 
fully. The Jack Snipe (.Scolopax Gallinula), a vouch smaller and 
searcer bird than the preceding, is somewhat rare. I am disposed 
to think it remains to nestle, but cannot speak positively as to 
this. It has been seen about the commencement of August, and, 
if not a nesting species, August seems a late month to leave and 
an early one to return. The Land-Rail (Crex Pratensis) may be 
considered common. The Moor Hen (Gad/inula Chloropus) in- 
habits all our streams. The Coot (Fidica Azra) is not uncommon 
on lochs outside the parish boundaries. Inside the parish it is 
rather a rare bird. Both the Wild Duck (Anas Boschas) and Teal 
(Anas Crecca) are fairly common. The Widgeon (Azas Penelope) 
occurs as a winter visitor. I am told that some few birds remain 
throughout the breeding season, but I have been unable to 
authenticate this. Single specimens of the Golden Eye (Audigula 
Clangula) and the Goosander (Mergus Merganser) have been shot 
within recent years on the Cairn, and the stuffed specimens are 
preserved in the gun-room at Crawfordton House. Another 
species of duck, said to be rare, was shot by Mr William 
Davidson, gamekeeper on Crawfordton, near to Snade Mill some 
three years ago. The Little Grebe or Dabchick (Podiceps Minor) 
was seen by me on the Cairn during the winter of 1885, and I 
have since found it nesting on one of the smallest of the lochs in 
the parish. It is by far the most interesting of the water birds 
with which I am acquainted, and if proprietors would only instruct 
their keepers to preserve, I am disposed to think it might 
become much more common than it presently iss The Common 
Cormorant (Phalacrocorax Carbo) is a regular visitor to Loch 
Urr, and has even been seen within a few hundred yards of 
