BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
not aware of specimens being obtained, and no breeding 
station exists."* Robert Gray, writing in 1871, states: 
" In Haddington, Berwick, Aberdeen, Fife, and Dumfries 
shires many specimens have from time to time been shot 
and preserved."t A Black Tern is recorded as shot on 
Conheath Merse on the Nith (Caerlaverock) in 1866,$ and I 
have ascertained that it was obtained on or about April 15th 
and passed into the hands of WilHam Hastings. As Sir 
William Jardine frequently made purchases from the local 
taxidermist, this may have been one of the two specimens 
labelled " Nos. 353 and 354, from the River Nith," in his 
collection, bought in 1876 by the Edinburgh Museum. 
The Black Tern nests in suitable locaUties throughout 
Europe south of the Baltic, north Africa and in Asia west 
of Turkestan. The last British-taken eggs were found 
in Norfolk in 1858. The winter- quarters of the bird are 
in Africa as far south as Loango on the west and Abyssinia 
on the east. On migration in April and May, and again 
from August to November, it is a regular visitant to the 
south and east coasts of England, and is often seen on inland 
waters. To the north and west of the British Isles it is of 
irregular occurrence, and though individuals are reported 
almost annually in September from the Cumberland coast, 
it cannot be considered as anything but a very rare visitor 
to our shore. 
THE WHISKERED TERN. 
Hydrochelidon hyhrida (Pallas). 
Has occurred once. 
The first Whiskered Tern obtained in Scotland was shot 
by Mr. John Kirkpatrick, gamekeeper, near the Carse 
* Nat. Lib., 1843, Vol. XIV., p. 285. 
t Birds of West Scotland, 1871, p. 472. 
t Trans. D. and G. Nat. Hist. Soc, December 4th, 1866. 
