BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
THE MARSH-HARRIER. Circus (^ruginosus (Linnsens). 
Local names-MooR-BuzzARD ; Grey-headed Buzzard. 
A very rare visitor. 
The Marsh-Harrier is referred to by Sir William Jardme 
in a list of the birds of the parish of App egarth and 
Sibbaldbie in 1832, as follows : " One or two of these bird, 
have occasionally frequented the Perch Hall Loch in the 
parish. They are rare in this county, and appear about 
the large swamps and mosses at uncertain mtervals. 
A contemporary writer states that " The Moor-Buzzard is 
occasional^ seen in the Lochar Moss."t In 1838 Sir Wilham 
recorded that "The Marsh-Harrier appears to common 
in many parts of England, but is rare generaUy m Scotland 
the western parts being too precipitous for its habits. It 
would also seem to be partiaUy migratory, for it appeals 
much more numerously in one season than m another ; 
one year we know of seven or eight specimens being killed 
upon the Border, while for the last ten years it has been 
comparatively rare."t He further mentions that he had 
coiiip.li J , u Pfltaloeue " of the collection 
never seen the nest.§ In the Catalogue oi k 
of British birds bought from Sir Wilham Jardine by the 
Edinburgh Museum in 1876 appears this entry : ^o. i£>. 
Marsh Harrier from Kinmount " (Cummertrees) 
Robert Maxwell told Mr. R. Service of ^ Marsh-Harrier 
shot at Dalswinton (Kirkmahoe) m S«P*^'^^«V H r'Jrk 
a fine old male of this species kiUed at Carse Wood (Kirk^ 
micha^l) on May 5th, 1898, was stuffed by Mr. Day, and 
passed into the possession of Mr. Service. 
* New Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 178. 
t Op. cit.. Vol. IV., p. 443. 
t Nat. Lib., 1838, Vol. IX., p. 239. 
§ Op. cit., 1838, Vol. IX., p. 238. 
