192 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
I have numerous reports of these birds being seen from 
time to time in the upper parts of the county ; and it is to 
be regretted that they should be usually shot at sight. 
If the Wild Birds Protection Act was better obeyed, the 
Buzzard might once more become a resident. 
This species is found commonly distributed over the 
greater part of western Europe in the nesting-season 
becoming migratory in the autumn; and though still 
breeding in some favoured localities in England, Scotland 
and Wales, its decreased numbers cry out for more 
protection. 
THE ROUGH-LEGGED BUZZARD. 
Buteo lagopus (J. F. Gmelin). 
An irregular winter-visitor. 
The first occurrence of this species that we have any no^ of , 
was recorded by Robert Gray as " one shot in Dumfries- 
shire in March, 1840, had a great number of young feathers 
of a blackish-brown colour, and would have been entirely 
of that tint had the moult been completed."* This specimen 
was, according to MacgiUivray, probably a young one of 
the previous year. It wa« shot by John Shaw, head-keeper 
to the Duke of Buccleuch. Its length was twenty-two 
inches and the extent of its wings fifty-^gW /"f ^J:^ .^^ 
December 1st, 1866, one was shot at Billholmt (Wester- 
kirk) by Richard Bell of Castle O'er. It had mdulged 
80 heartily in a feast of partridge meat that its crop burst 
when it fell to the ground."§ The correct date of the above 
occurrence is as now given. „ , , j u,.. 
During the vole-plague of 1874-1876 Rough-legged Buz- 
zards put in an unwonted appearance, and so many as 
* Birds of West Scotland, p. 48. 
t MacgiUivray, Hist. Brit. Birds, 1840, Vol. III., p. 737. 
X Zoologist, 1867, pp. 604, 605. 
§ Trans. D. and G. Nat. Hist. Soc, April 17th, 1901. 
