NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 37 
was appointed ‘‘ to enquire into what action has been taken 
under the Wild Birds Protection Acts for the protection of 
Wild Birds, and to consider whether any amendment of the 
law or improvements in its administration are required.”’ 
This Committee reported on 4th July, 1919, and in 1920 there 
were appointed English and Scottish Committees to advise 
respectively the Home Secretary and His Majesty’s Secretary 
for Scotland ‘‘ on matters connected with the administration 
of the Wild Birds Protection Acts.’’ The day, therefore, 
6 
seems nearer when ‘‘ the various (and it is to be regretted 
varying) County Council Orders for the protection of birds 
may be drawn up by a competent committee of ornithologists 
so as to apply to the individual requirements of every county 
in Great Britain and Ireland and thus ensure the effectual 
protection of our British Avifauna.’’ (p. Ixxxvii.) 
It must be recorded here that in 1918, under Defence of 
the Realm Regulations 2 R., the Board of Agriculture for 
Scotland issued an Order, authorising the killing, taking, sale 
or purchase of Wild Geese in the County of Dumfries up to 
31st March; this Order was made with a view of securing 
these migratory birds as food for the country during the stress 
of the Great War and can be regarded only as a war-time 
measure. 
LOCAL MISNOMERS AND NAMES. 
The following additions may be made to the list of local 
misnomers and names which I compiled in 1910 :— 
The late James Shaw, Schoolmaster at Tynron Upper 
School, in a list of ‘‘ Words, new to me, collected from the 
Dumfriesshire dialect during the last thirty years 
(1864-1894),'’" has included ‘‘ Brichtie ’’ or ‘‘ Brisky ’' for 
the Chaffinch: “ Bullfit ’’ for the House-Martin or Swift : 
“Gunner ’”’ for the Yellow-Hammer: and he adds that 
““ Nightingale ’’ was another name for Moth. 
I have heard the Kestrel called the ‘‘ Brown Hawk,”’ and © 
my excitement was aroused when I was told the ‘‘ Bittern ”’ 
70 Transactions of the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural 
History and Antiquarian Society, 1893-4, pp. 139-159, 
