BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
the telephone-wires near Ruthwell. Mr. Laidlaw writes 
me (1908) that one was shot on the Esk some years ago, 
and on February 14th, 1910, I shot an adult male at the 
Far Loch, Capenoch. 
This species may be said to be almost an annual visitant 
to our larger lakes and rivers, but somewhat more irregular 
in its visits to their ttibutaries and upper reaches. It 
frequents shallow or smooth-running waters and consumes 
an immense number of small trout and salmon-parr. 
In view of the fact that its breeding-range in Scotland is 
beheved to be extending, it is interesting to note that in 
the Dumfries and Galloway Standard for May 29th, 1895, 
Mr. Hugh Mackay records that on June 27th, 1894, " a 
Goosander was obtained on the Nith a few miles from 
Dumfries, . . [and] . . several of the same species were after- 
wards observed." This seemed to him to be conclusive 
evidence that these birds had nested in the locaUty, especially 
as a pair of Goosanders were observed in May the next year 
near the same place. He goes on to say : " Mr. Coupland, 
to whom I am indebted for many interesting observations 
on this species, informs me that two years ago [i.e., 
1893] he found a nest containing eggs in the locaHty where 
these birds now are, and so accurately described the size 
and colouring of the eggs, the construction and situation of 
the nest, as to prove almost beyond doubt that it was the 
nest of the Goosander. I fully expect to confirm the state- 
ment relating to the nesting of the Goosander in Dum- 
friesshire at some future period." 
I wrote to Mr. Coupland, who repKed as follows : I 
once found a Goosander's nest up on Craigshields (Kirk- 
michael), but unfortunately it was destroyed and they 
never came back, at least not to nest. I found the nest as 
near as I can mind in about the end of April or beginning of 
May, 1888. It was in a thick heather bush on a ledge of 
rock. There were nine eggs in it of a darker blue than the 
common wild duck and a bit bigger. I saw the two birds 
often in a pool near the place and just by chance going 
