102 NOTES ON THE BiRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
were seen near Capenoch. There can be, I think, littre doubt 
that the skulking habits of this species create the impression 
that it is much rarer locally than it really is, and that after 
unusually heavy rainfall and consequent abnormal floods 
these birds are flooded out of their congenial swamps and 
marshes, which have been turned into lakes and waiter- 
courses, and then seek fresh quarters where they are not un- 
naturally regarded as rare. 
The MOOR-HEN (p. 356). A cream-coloured Moor- 
Hen was seen at Waterside (Keir) on 16th September, 1912. 
The COOT (p. 358). For the last three or four years 
Coots have not nested at Capenoch: there always used to be 
a nest at the Bobie Loch and one at the Far Loch. 
The GOLDEN PLOVER (p. 365). Nested on Penfillan 
Hill (Keir), at an altitude of not more than 600 feet, in 1913 
and 1914. Mr Myles Quinn informs me that a young Golden 
Plover was found, on 24th May, 1921, on Merkland Moss 
(Caerlaverock) : I have previously pointed out that this is a 
remarkably low-lying locality for the nesting of this species. 
A Golden Plover with a good deal of white on it was seen 
at Cairnmill (Penpont) on 26th October, rgr2. 
On 21st May, 1914, when at Townfoot Loch (Closeburn) 
I saw one of a pair of Golden Plovers indulge in a peculiar 
kind of flight: after wheeling about normally it at times 
ceased its direct flight and flapped its wings quite slowly up 
and down, but maintaining the same direction and_ plane, 
before again resuming its ordinary flight. 
Golden Plovers were unusually scarce on the shore at 
Glencaple (Caerlaverock) in the winter of 1916-17.1% When 
writing my Birds of Dumfriesshire, in 1910, 1 stated that 
‘““ within the last ten or fifteen years Golden Plover are more 
frequently met with in autumn along the banks of the Nith in 
Mid-Nithsdale.’’ Their annual appearance at this season was 
maintained till about 1914, since when I do not see anything 
like the same numbers: I cannot account for this change 
unless some particular insect food is now lacking. 
174 Dumfries and Galloway Standard, 10th February, 1917, 
