NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 23 
PHYSICAL FEATURES AND CLIMATE. 
The Dumfriesshire portion of Loch Urr is not entirely 
in Glencairn Parish, part of it being in Dunscore. (p. Ixvi.) 
I have already referred to the war-time legislation which 
permitted heather-burning up till the end of April and which 
enforced the breaking up of land for growing corn. It must 
also be remembered that during that period an abnormal 
amount of timber was felled locally, and this latter change in 
the physical features of our county is likely to have a more 
far-reaching effect on our Avifauna than the first named. 
The following comparative tables are of interest :— 
In 1909. Aanes, In 1922. Acres. 
Arable Land ... aoe 133,732 132,391 
Permanent Grass ... | 121,889 | 113,471 
Mountain and Heath } ( 
Land used for Grazing 378,223 390,613 
500,112 504,084 
Woods (1905) ... Bee 30,275 || (1916). 16,425 
The above figures do not take into account the acreage 
occupied by water, roads, houses, foreshore, tidal-water, 
etc., of the county and the discrepancy between the total 
acreage as shown by the two comparative tables is remark- 
able. The Forestry Commission informs me that the figures 
for 1916 are the latest available, that they were rendered 
voluntarily and that in a great many cases the information 
requested from proprietors and others was not given. 
