NovTeEs ON THE Birps oF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 95 
May, 1g09. An immature female was shot near Rockhall 
(Mouswald) by Mr Jardine Paterson in October, rgto. 
It is permissible to note that in 1912 a Turtle Dove 
nested in Cumberland, only half a mile from our border, 
within three miles of Gretna Green,’ and that on 14th May, 
1921, a female was shot near Carsethorn (Kirkcudbright).1°9 
[The CAPERCAILLIE (p. 315). A report that a bird 
of this species was seen near Comlongon (Ruthwell) in 
October, 1913, is not confirmed. | 
The BLACK GROUSE (p. 318). In the autumn of 
1843 some Blackgame were sent, under the charge of John 
Shaw head gamekeeper at Drumlanrig, to Prince Albert for 
turning down on Bagshot heath. 
The curious variety of a Greyhen, which I have recorded 
as shot ‘‘ by Sir Sidney Beckwith on the moors above 
Beattock Bridge in Annandale,’’ was obtained on a2ist 
August, 1828. An abnormally plumaged Blackcock was 
shot at Clonrae (Tynron) on 10th November, 1910: I 
thought that this was a specimen of a cock assuming the 
plumage of a hen but Mr H. F. Witherby, to whom the 
bird was submitted, was satistied that the curious plumage 
was due to lack of pigment.16&° An almost exactly similar 
bird, which was thought to be a hybrid between a Grouse 
and a Blackcock, was shot in Lochar Moss in December, 
TQ es 
In May, 1921, Mr J. Bryce Duncan flushed a Grevhen 
off her nest, near Newlands (Kirkmahoe), which contained 
but one dwarf egg, measuring 27 mm. by 21 mm.: the nest 
was not disturbed, but on visiting it some days later Mr 
Duncan found it had been deserted and that no more egg’s 
had been laid. 
I find that the bag of 247 Blackgame, killed at Glen- 
wharrie (Kirkconnel) on 4th October, 1869, and which I 
thought constituted the record, has been exceeded at 
Cannock Chase (Staffordshire), where 252 were killed, about 
158 The Scottish Naturalist, 1912, p. 186. 
159 Op. cit., 1921, p. 125. 
160 British Birds Magazine, Vol. V., p. 59. 
