XXXVI BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
Copland of Blackwood (Keir), as gamekeeper in 1837, 
and during the following fourteen years killed on 
that estate no less than one hundred and twenty- 
eisht foxes, besides other vermin. He was the 
principal bird-stu£Eer in Nithsdale, 1830-1864. On 
the death of his employer in 1851 he leased AUanton 
Mill (Dunscore) from the Duke of Buccleuch, till his 
death on January 1st, 1883. He had a family of 
eighteen, and is buried in the New Churchyard, Keir. 
He was a correspondent of Dr. Thomas Grierson, 
who writes of him in his MS. diary, October 17th, 
1862 " He knew birds generally, but not scientih- 
callv " His two brothers, John (b. 1826, d. April 12th, 
1905), and Robert (b. August 31st, 1830, d. April 12th, 
1907), who lived together on Dalswinton Estate, were 
also both keen observers of nature. 
Menteath, Sir James Stuart, Bart., b. 1792^ Son of 
Charles Granville Stuart Menteath of Closeburn. 
Member of the Wernerian Society, March 2nd, 1808; 
Member of Council, 1818, who was created Baronet, 
August nth, 1838. A keen agriculturist and natur- 
alist, he died December, 1847. James Stuart Menteath 
succeeded as second Baronet of Closeburn Member 
of the Wernerian Society, December 7th, 18lb. 
Published in 1838 a pamphlet of twenty-seven 
pages, entitled Farmers versus Rooks. iHis 
pamphlet, which was printed at Ayr, by Messrs. 
McCormick and Carnie, is now extremely rare. 
It sets forth " The substance of a trial supposed to 
have taken place in Ayrshire before a Committee of 
gentlemen appointed by the Agricultural Society 
of that county to consider the supposed damage done 
bv Rooks to their tenantry." Many witnesses, such as 
Benrick [Bewick], Bushnan, Selby, and MacgiUivray 
are called to testify to the utility of the species, which 
is, however, found " guilty," and the judges pro- 
nounce sentence of death and extermination against 
every rookery in Ayrshire." I possess his copy of 
The Natural History of Selhorne (New Edition, 1836), 
in which are some interesting notes m his hand, 
