112 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
1837 Javs used to be met with " in the woods of Dalswinton, 
Bla kwooZ^^^^ and Closeburn, and at that t.me they 
were getting scarce, and now [1862] are unknown. 
In m5 Mr. Lumsden made very careful researches 
as to ]!s status in Scotland. As regards ^umfne^^^^^^^^^ 
writes • " Rev. James E. SomerviUe of Langholm states 
Zt he Jay does not occur in that parish. In the parish 
5 Canonbit five miles below Langholm, it is found, but not 
of Oanonwe nv not mcreasmg. 
ttZflk^ZSin about seven or eight peaces in 
this narish which is of considerable extent On the 
SnrinS estlte the Jay has not been seen for upwards 
Ke y a", but it is reported to have been known at one 
time in that district. In the neighbourhood of Annan 
Tin Hoddom parish the species is also quite unknown. 
SfSie^son o"£rnhill informs me that ' The common 
Ss not been known in Nithsdale for a very long time 
some forty or more years ago but^^about that time 
T have heard it said there were a tew. 
Shot r sight on account of its egg-steahng habits, 
were left in the county. ^ ^ „ . (Dumfries , 
" been seen occasionally in Dalscone vyoou i v / 
-th^- ssrwi^rr: T^:^ 
SeTsvf Sp'^^Srs were shot - ^-k (San^^ 
and Hunter ^^ZeZr '^^% i<^^^^ i-i^- 
r" ?:^ing"the:e ^^^^'.^^^j^^j: 
ndividuals were reported from the P^-^^ f Jf ™ 
Tf^ir- rioseburn Penpont, Kirkmahoe, Kirkmicnaei, xm 
* Scottish Naturalist, 1875, Vol. III., P- 239. 
t Dumfries Courier, September 12th, 1876. 
