10 NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
Notes on the Birds of Dumfriesshire. 
By Mr Hueu S. Guiapstong, F.R.S.E., F.Z.S. 
INTRODUCTION. 
My book on The Birds of Dumfriesshire was published 
in June, rore, and in the following year the Addenda and 
Corrigenda thereto was issued. As more than ten years have 
now elapsed since this latter appeared and as, during that 
period, I have received a good deal of additional information 
on the subject, the time seems opportune for bringing the 
original work up to date. With this object in view, it has 
been thought expedient to include in this brochure the addi- 
tions and corrections which were given in the Addenda and 
Corrigenda and thus, in spite of repetition, to make the 
present publication an inclusive supplement to my original 
book. 
The outstanding event of the period under review is 
the European War of 1914 to 1918, which convulsed the 
whole world, and which did not facilitate so peaceful a pur- 
suit as the study of Birds. During the greater part of that 
period I was away from home and I am conscious that my 
ornithological correspondence was therefore not as comprye- 
hensive as it was previously. I tried, however, to keep in 
touch with local ornithology and some of my notes have 
already appeared in the Scottish Naturalist and elsewhere. 
The war itself cannot permanently have affected our 
local Birds: probably Hawks, Crows and other so-called 
““ Vermin ’’ increased in the absence of shooting tenants 
and gamekeepers, and it has been suggested to me that this 
is why the Barn Owl has recently become more common 
locally. The enforced breaking up of land for growing corn 
may have done something to increase our stock of gramni- 
verous Birds. Heather burning which, under an order 
issued in 1917 by the Board of Agriculture for Scotland, 
was made legal thereafter annually between 1st October and 
3oth April, undoubtedly destroyed a great many nests and 
eggs, not only of Grouse, but also of other birds of less 
