BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
only are to be found ; a striking instance of the change of 
locality, which is constantly taking place."* 
In 1843 a Dumfries observer states that this bird " is 
occasionaUy seen with swallows when he condescends to 
leave the precincts of the Mid Steeple."t Nowadays 
Swifts nest in the " Nithsdale " and other miUs in Dumfries, 
and small colonies are to be found nesting throughout 
the county in many church-spires, bridges, ruins, old castles 
and mansion-houses, such as Sanquhar Castle, HaUows 
Tower (Canonbie), Drumlanrig (Durisdeer), Capenoch (Keir), 
etc I am informed by the Rev. D. L. Jardine, that the birds 
which bred abundantly in the spire of Durisdeer Kirk twenty 
years ago, have not done so since certain alterations were 
made in 1900. Miss Ranken tells me that these birds nest 
annually at Dalswinton House (Kirkmahoe), where, Mrs. 
PoUock informs me, they nested abundantly " under the 
eaves and on the square stones supporting the balustrade, 
about 1866." ^ 
It is a wonderful sight at nightfall to see the Swifts 
while preying on insects ascending higher and higher into 
the air till they become invisible. 
The Swift is abundant throughout Europe in summer, 
while on migration it visits Madagascar and the extreme 
south of Africa, and is said to breed in Natal."J 
THE NIGHTJAR. Caprimulgus europcBUS, Linnaeus. 
Local names— Goatsucker ; Nighthawk. 
Acommon.ummer.visitantto the woodland or lower arable district, but 
of local distribution. 
The Nightjar comes to us from its African winter-quarters, 
about the middle of May. A male shot on May 4th, 1908, at 
* New Stat. Acct. Scot., Vcl. IV., p. 180. 
t Dumfries Courier, May 8th, 1843. 
X Man. Brit. Birds, 1899, p. 262. 
