74 NOTES ON THE BirDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
England, where it nests occasionally in the south coastal 
counties. 
The CUCKOO (p. 168). The breeding habits of this 
species have recently been closely studied by Mr Edgar 
Chance who, amongst other things, has shown that under 
exceptional conditions a Cuckoo will lay so many as twenty- 
one eggs in one season. 4 
Although the Cuckoo was reported in 1911 as heard at 
Glenmaid (Kirkmahoe) on 31st March,!® I very much sus- 
pect some mistake. The following is a list of the first 
appearances of the Cuckoo locally :— 
First seen 
Year. or heard. District. Notes 
1911 .. 17th April .. Beattock .. Personally I did not see 
a Cuckoo till 30th April. 
1912 .. 26th April .. Capenoch 
1913 .. 24th April .. Auchenbainzie .. D. § G. Standard, 26/4/13. 
1°14 . 19th April .. Auchenbainzie .. D. & G. Standard, 25/4/14. 
1915 .. 28rd April .. Capenoch 
1916 .. 24th April .. Capenoch 
1917 .. 21st April .. Capenoch 
1918 .. 26th April .. Capenoch 
1219 .. 20th April .. Dumfries .. D. & G. Standard, 23/4/19. 
1920 .. 24th April .. Capenoch 
1921 .. 28th April .. Capenoch 
1622 .. 21st April .. Dumfries .. Scotsman, 27/4/22. Not 
heard at Capenoch till 
30th April. 
The BARN OWL (p. 173). In 1910 I wrote :—‘‘ The 
Barn Owl has decreased in this county almost to vanishing 
point. During the first half of the nineteenth century, there 
is abundant proof that it was quite common, if not the com- 
monest of our four resident species of Owls, but all later 
observers remark on its decrease.”’ 
this species is regaining its numerical strength though it 
still appears to be somewhat local in its distribution. Several 
of my correspondents in Annandale, Nithsdale and in the 
south of the county have remarked the increase of the Barn 
I am now able to say that 
124 British Birds Magazine, Vol. XIV., p. 218; and Edgar 
Chance: The Cuckoo’s Secret (1922). 
125 Dumfries and Galloway Courier and Herald, 5th April, 1911, 
