BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 221 
Mr. J. H. Crawford recorded in 1896 that this species 
had been known "at rare intervals to fish Loch Skene, 
and may well pay many an unrecorded visit to that lonely 
and seldom disturbed place."* 
The Osprey is an occasional autumn-visitor to Great 
Britain, and it may still nest in the Highlands where 
zealously protected. It is found in nearly every part 
of the world ; "its distribution is, in fact, restricted by 
two conditions only : the bird must be in the vicinity 
of waters inhabited by fish which swim sufficiently near the 
surface to supply it with food, and the proximity of mankind 
is a decided objection. "| 
THE CORMORANT. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linnseus). 
Local names— Scart; Black Douker ; Water-Raven; 
Water-Crow ; Colvend Elder ; Mochrum Elder. 
hllan^d^Iochr"'**" non-breeding resident on the coast, visiting certain 
The Cormorant was a frequent visitor to the lochs at Loch- 
maben in 1835,{ and concerning this Mr. R. Service writes 
me in 1908 : " I never heard of or saw any of them breeding 
there, although they might easily be set down as daily 
visitants. A diet of fresh-water eels for a change seems to 
suit them." Sir William Jardine wrote in 1832, that 
this species had " been seen stragghng up the Annan as far 
as Jardine Hall,"§ and a specimen in his collection was 
obtained near there by his gamekeeper. 
* Wild Life of Scotland, 1896, p. 193. 
t Man. Brit. Birds, 1899, p. 360. 
t New Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 382. 
§ Op. cit.. Vol. rV., p. 181. 
