150 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
hands, and he had no doubt the Wood-Lark's eggs were 
amongst the victims. ^t. 
In his " Distribution of Birds in Great Britam dunng the 
Nestuxg Season," 1865, the late A. G More says. ^^^^^^ 
species! "not in Scotland."* Having heard that the Rev. 
Hugh Parry had identified the Wood-Lark at Dalswinton 
(Kifkmahoe), I wrote to him, and received the foUowmg 
reply : " I "^^y knowledge of the birds of 
Dalswinton is merely the result of one spring visit m 1902, 
and several autumn and winter visits. With regard to 
the Woodlark I am positive, because its song is quite 
famiUar to me, and I can as easily distinguish its song from 
that of the Tree-Pipit, as I can the bleating of a sheep from 
the braying of a donkey. ... I have spent the last thir^ 
years of my Ufe in verifying the songs and notes of birds 
and in learning the points of difference." 
In view of the fact that hitherto the Wood-Lark has 
never been taken on the mainland of Scotland this 
bird must remain in square brackets until substantial 
evidence is brought forward to remove them. Wood- 
Larks in small numbers were observed at Fair Isle m the 
autumn of 1905 and since then have occurred there several 
times, but Mr. W. Eagle Clarke informs me that these are 
the only rehable Scottish records so far as he knows 
The Wood-Lark may be said to be a very local bird, 
more plentiful in the south of England, and decreasmg m 
numbers towards the north, and it has also been kno^vn to 
breed in the south of Ireland. "In winter considerabe 
companies are sometimes found in the ^o'^tl^f 7, <i'«t^;^f^ 
of England, especiaUy in snowy weather, but there does 
not appear to be any important immigration from the 
^Though the species has nested,} and I believe still nests 
in Cumberland, it is well to remember that m Dumfries- 
* Ibis, 1865, p. 124. 
t Man. Brit. Birds, 1899, p. 251. 
% Fauna of Lakeland, 1892, p. 162. 
