BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 425 
these visitors probably come from the fairly large " ternery," 
situated on Rockliffe marsh, Cumberland, or possibly from 
the settlement in Kirkcudbrightshire. Sir William Jardine, 
writing in 1843, says : " Many years since we have shot this 
tern on the River Annan, fifteen miles from the sea ; and in 
spring, one or two pairs appeared regularly following the 
course of the stream and fishing, but apparently returning 
seaward the same day. Their appearance for a month or 
six weeks was quite regular, darting into the stream, as in 
the sea, after minnows, etc., and approaching clamorously 
any one walking on the banks. It has not now been seen 
for many years."* In the Catalogue of the Birds contained 
in the collection of Sir William Jardine a specimen of the 
Sterna hirundo (presumably this species) is recorded as shot 
at Jardine Hall, by Sir William Jardine. 
William Hastings in 1878 described the species as " not 
common with us "f ; but given the right time and locality, 
this description nowadays would hardly be correct. A dead 
specimen was picked up at Marwhirn, three miles north of 
Moniaive {i.e., twenty-three miles from the sea) on October 
2nd, 1893, as recorded by Mr. John Corrie.J 
The Common Tern arrives in May and nests in colonies in 
suitable parts of the British coast, and on some inland waters. 
In England it is the commonest Tern, but in the north of 
Scotland and Ireland the Arctic Tern predominates, and 
both species may often be found nesting in contiguity. 
Mr. R. Service writes me as regards the Terns nesting in 
Kirkcudbrightshire : " The Arctic is mixed up with the 
Common Tern locally, in the proportion perhaps of, let me 
say, two per cent., or may be a higher percentage, but they 
are comparatively very few in number." 
The Common Tern is widely distributed during the nesting- 
season throughout nearly the whole of Europe, temperate 
Asia, northern Africa, and the eastern seaboard of the 
* Nat. Lib., 1843, Vol. XIV., p. 278. 
t Trans. D. and G. Nat. Hist. Soc, October 4th, 1878. 
J Op. cit., February 16th, 1894. 
