NOTES ON THE BiRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE. 105 
unmistakable rattle of the Golden-Eye: the call of the Sheld- 
Duck showed the suitability of its local name of ‘ laughing 
duck ’’: an cccasional Snipe proclaimed its presence by its 
cry of ‘‘ scape ’’ and ever and anon the hound-like cries in 
the distance of Bernacle Geese gave hopes that my vigil might 
be substantially rewarded. 
The WOODCOCK (p. 383). A Woodcock with white 
primaries was shot in Capenoch Big Wood (Keir) about 1880, 
and a light lavender-coloured Woodcock, shot near Sanquhar 
on 3rd December, 1910, is now in my collection, thanks io 
the generosity of Mr A. R. Greaves. 
In ro11 I was informed of a Woodcock’s nest with four 
eggs so late as 29th June at Craigmuie in the neighbouring 
county of Kirkcudbright. 
In the spring of 1911 over fifty young birds were picked 
up at Langholm and ringed ‘‘ B. Q.’’ In 1913 several nests 
were found in young plantations at Capenoch in February and 
March; and at the end of june four nests, each ccentaining 
four eggs, were found in the bracken on the moor. This is 
not direct evidence that the bird is double-brooded, but 
illustrates the period during which it nests, and testifies to 
the wisdom of protecting the species between 2nd February 
and 30th September. The spring of 1918 was a good nesting 
season, and in June more nests than usual were found at 
Capenoch; but in 1910, 1920, 1921 and 1922 the numbers of 
our breeding Woodcock seemed to be below the previous 
average and possibly the felling of many of our woods may be 
held responsible for this diminution. 
There can be no doubt that during the last decade more 
Woodcock have been shot annually in Dumfriesshire than for- 
merly. On 29th November, 1910, twenty-two were shot near 
Drumlanrig (Durisdeer) and, in the same month, twenty- 
eight were killed one day at Springkell (Kirkpatrick-Fleming) 
and thirty-three in a day’s shooting at Langholm. Since 
1910 I have several records of thirty and upwards being shot 
in a single day. Thirty years ago it was thought that hard 
frost brought the Woodcock to us as ‘‘ weather migrants ”’ 
but nowadays a hope for their presence is inspired by the 
