Noves on THE Birps oF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 93 
species locally and an unusually inland locality for its 
occurrence. 
In i910 I stated that the Common Scoter was only 
C6 
known to breed, so far as regards Great Britain, “‘ in one 
locality in Ireland ’’; since that date the species has been 
recorded as having bred on another Irish lough and also in 
Caithness, Sutherland, Cromarty, Ross, Inverness, Perth- 
shire, Tiree, and Shetland.1*6 
The GOOSANDER (p. 296). Although this species is 
an annual winter visitant to our larger lakes and rivers, males 
in full plumage are rare as compared with females and 
immature males. A fine male was shot in the winter of 1920 
on the Annan at Johnstone Bridge. 
The RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (p. 299). This 
species is a winter visitant to the Solway and it is therefore, 
perhaps, of interest to note that Mr J. Edgar shot a female 
Merganser on 17th October, 1912, at Craigshields (Kirk- 
michael), which is some twelve miles from the sea. 
The SMEW (p. 301). Mr George Robson informs ime 
that he saw an adult male near Dumfries in January, 1912, 
and an adult male in full plumage was shot near Caerlaverock 
in November, 1918. 
In a glass case, at the Buccleuch Hotel, Thornhill, there 
iS an immature Smew; this case came from the Isle (Holy- 
wood) but with no data, in 1915, and the bird may or may 
not have been killed near there. 
The RING-DOVE (p. 303). On 22nd March, 1844, the 
members of the Lockerby (sic) Farmers’ Club urged the local 
proprietors *‘ to kill Woodpigeons wherever they are to be 
found . . . om acccunt of the great amount of damage 
done annually by them to turnips and other crops.’’ 
In October and November, 1910, this species was locally 
more than usually numerous. On different occasions I 
counted from the dining-room window at Capenoch (Kei) 
one hundred, ninety-two, seventy-seven and seventy-two 
156 H. F. Witherby: A Practical Handbook of British Birds, 
1922, Vol. II., p. 372. 
