86 NOTES ON THE BirRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
1916-17.46 One was shot near Lantonside (Caerlaverock) in 
January, 1918;!47 another near Caerlaverock in December, 
1919. 
A Brent Goose was seen in Scaur Water, near Capenoch 
(Keir), some eighteen miles from the sea, on 5th October, 
IQIO. 
The WHOOPER SWAN (p. 255). A flock of tweniy- 
three Swans, believed by my informant, Mr A. Goldie-Scot, 
to have been of this species, were seen on Loch Urr (Glen- 
cairn) on 9th November, 1911. 
The date of the ominous appearance of ‘‘ the White 
Swan ’’ on the loch at Closeburn, within twenty-four hours 
of which it is alleged that the heir of Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick 
(second Baronet of Closeburn) died, may be hazarded as 
1686, the year of Sir Thomas’ third marriage. It may be of 
interest to note, in connection with the above story, that this 
loch was drained by Mr Douglas Baird in 1859.48 In Ger- 
many the Swan has been regarded similarly as a bird of 1ll- 
omen :—‘‘ At Kemnitz in the Mark a night watchman averred 
that he could always tell when someone in the village was 
about to die. On such occasions just before he cried mid- 
night, a white swan came up out of Plessow lake and walked 
to the churchyard. When he saw it he did not dare call the 
hour. Once it appeared, went to the churchyard, but passed 
on to the residence of the baron. He ran home, roused his 
family and toid them of the portent. Sure enough within the 
week the baron died !’’49 
The COMMON SHELD-DUCK (p. 262). Has greatly 
increased owing to the protection afforded it by the local — 
County Council Wild Birds Protection ‘‘ Order ’’ which pro- 
hibits the taking of its eggs and pretects the bird throughout 
the year. A local name for this species is ‘* Laughing- 
Duck.”’ 
146 Dumfries and Galloway Standard, 10th February, 1917. 
147 Op. cit., 9th January, 1918. 
148 Dumfries and Galloway Courier and Herald, 24th May, 1913, 
149 Charles de Kay: Bird Gods [1898 ?], p. 201, 
