BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
entitled Notes on Birds, taken in 1864, at Mountainhall, 
a mile east from Dumfries ; in which he asks, " Is it 
possible to classify . . . migrations of birds on a 
geological basis ? " He himself says, " I am not a 
naturahst, in the usual sense of the term ; but I take 
a living interest in the characters, habits, and fortunes 
of my country neighbours, the birds." Many 
quotations throughout this volume from his poetical 
works, testify to his knowledge of bird-life, no less 
than to his skill as poet. He died April 25th, 1876. 
Archbald, Dr. George, son of Rev. Robert Archbald, 
"minister of Dunscore from 1651 to 1662, and one 
of the four hundred uncompromising Presbyterians, 
who, on the re-establishment of Episcopacy by 
Charles II., gave up their livings in the Church of 
Scotland rather than do violence to their con- 
victions " ; * he died in Edinburgh in 1688. George 
Archbald, b. 1645 or 1646, adopted the medical 
profession, and eventually became one of the leading 
physicians of Dumfries ; being entered as a Burgess 
of the Burgh, May 4th, 1668. I have frequently 
quoted from his "Account of the Curiosities at 
Drumfriess," and have given the date of this manu- 
script as written " circa 1684." This I have done 
in the behef that it was sent through some common 
friend to Sir Robert Sibbald, in answer to the latter's 
circular addressed to men of education throughout 
Scotland, asking for information for his 8cotia 
lUustrata. There is, however, internal evidence 
which seems to show that at least part of the manu- 
script was written subsequent to 1707. A small 
quarto volume, entitled " Sibbald's MS. Collections " 
(which I have seen in the Advocates' Library at 
Edinburgh), contains, with several other similar 
manuscripts, a copy of this " Account." It includes 
information concerning the county of Dumfries, 
its "fishes, fowls, quadrupeds, insects, fossils, wells, 
and serpents." Under " fowls " are interesting refer- 
ences to the Bittern, Jay, Snipe, etc. Dr. George 
* Trans. D. and G. Nat. Hist. Soc, March 8th, 1901. 
