BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 319 
have more of these some years hence ; for, according to 
naturahsts corn and young plantations always attract 
them, * and from Moffat it is reported : " There are both 
red and black game in the parish : not much, indeed, of 
the latter; but they are increasing, and as the plantations 
get forward, it is expected, that they will become more 
numerous, f 
In the Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799) from 
which the above extracts are quoted, the species is also 
reported as known in the parishes of Mouswald, Kirkmichael 
Hutton and Corrie, and Westerkirk. In 1812 Dr Singer 
wrote that Blackgame seemed to be "rather on the increase 
on some lands "J ; but in 1820, in referring to a Blackcock 
which entered a house in Chapel Street, Dumfries, it is 
remarked that the bird "is now so rare in Scotland that 
some sportsmen go a whole season without finding one "8 
Five years later, however, we find the following statement : 
Most sportsmen agree in thinking that the community of 
Blackcocks has increased in numbers of late years, while 
mmr-fowl are getting rather thin,"|| and in the foUowing 
year Blackgame are reported as fetching from " four shillings 
to SIX shillings the brace with difficulty "^J 
«• ^^rnv^ ^^""^^ °^ Applegarth and Sibbaldbie in 1832, 
Sir William Jardine says that Blackgame "abound in the 
higher parts of the parish, and within these few years have 
extended to the lower districts."** Similar reports seem 
L is^Tq w-n 'P^'''^' ^''^^ increasing, and 
m 1842 Sir WiUiam writes of it as found sparingly in England 
and traces its distribution from the south "until we reach the 
iiorder, where it becomes abundant in the wild districts 
* Stat Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 226. 
t Op. cit.. Vol. XI., p. 290. 
t Qen. View of Agriculture in Dumfries, p. 451. 
§ Dumfries Courier, March 21st, 1820. 
II Op. cit., August 9th, 1826. 
H Op. cit., September 26th, 1826. 
*♦ New Slat. Acct. Scot., Vol. IV., p. 180. 
