BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 113 
visited the county.* Whether this was a local move- 
ment or one from continental Europe cannot be ascertained, 
as no specimens appear to have been obtained. This is 
unfortunate as we now know that series of British 
Jays can be distinguished from continental birds, on account 
of the more uniform vinous and less grey colour of the 
upper surface of the British form ; but Mr. R. Service, 
who thought the birds were of continental origin, states : 
"My warrant for this opinion is in two facts. 
The first is that there are no resident colonies of Jays 
sufficiently near us from whence the immigrants under notice 
could have come ; and second, that former sporadic visi- 
tations to various other parts of Britain, have always been 
ultimately ascertained to be parties from off the enormous 
swarms of Jays that at certain irregular intervals fly from 
the far north-east to central and western Europe."t Most 
of these birds departed before the end of April, 1898 ; 
but a few pairs stayed on. I am informed that on the 
Mount Annan estate Jays have continued to nest annually 
since 1893. On the Kinmount and Hoddom estates the 
species has become more numerous since 1896, and Mr. 
W. H. Veitch tells me (1908) that seven or eight pairs 
nest there annually, and that he has taken the nest in a 
spruce. They also breed fairly commonly on the Castle- 
mflk property. In 1900, 1901 and 1902 similar incursions, 
but on a smaller scale, took place, chiefly in the lower 
parishes of Nithsdale and Annandale. Mr.T. Ranken informs 
me that " a soKtary bird was seen about the garden wood 
at Dalswinton (Kirkmahoe) on several occasions in 1900 
and 1901. I am not sure about 1902, but it certainly 
stayed for two years if it was the same bird." 
Since 1900 the Jay has increased in numbers as a breeding- 
species, and has been known to nest in the parishes of 
Langholm, Canonbie, Kirkpatrick-Fleming, Dornock, Annan, 
Cummertrees, Hoddom, Dalton, Ruthwell, Caerlaverock, 
* Kirkcudbright Advertiser, May 10th, 1898. 
t Dumfries Standard, December 29th, 1897. 
