432 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
Nesting-places of the Black-headed Gull in occupation 
IN 1908. 
Parish. 
OltU,»HUil dlll-l J:\.^yJX\JA.llXkcit/K^ XI Liuiuvi \Ji. xitovo. 
How long in existence, etc. 
Source of Information. 
Caerlaverock . . 
HiS^siDauK J? oresnore. i\.uuu,t xuui iiu.iiuj.cu. iicoi'a. 
The gulls came here from Lochar Moss in 1907. 
P. Smith, 19.vi.l909. 
Closeburn 
Townfoot Loch. About 1875, a very large colony, 
but owing to the subsidence of the peaty island on 
which the gulls nest, it was almost entirely 
deserted. Recently there seems a tendency to 
increase. 
Three hundred to four hundred nests in 1909 
R. Armstrong, 5.ix. 1908. 
C. Hyslop, 8.vi.l909. 
Dumfries 
One mile west of Racks Rly. Station. Nests decreas- 
ing owing to keepers destroying eggs. About 
eight hundred nests. 
John Anderson, 
ll.vi.l908. 
DURISDEER 
Cleughhead. In 1878 about two hundred and fifty 
nests. 
This used to be a favourite colony, but many eggs 
were taken, and they left for a time, returning in 
1899. . ^, ^ 
KJJX ISierS allU. SltlUS Ul lUl-'H 111 111 wuuu., xvuLfuu 
one hundred and sixty to one hundred and eighty 
nests. 
R. Service, 30.V.1908. 
J. Riddell, l.vi.l908. 
H. S. G., I.vi.l908. 
\Tnirvhill T,r>r»h On flnfltiriEf islands of bof-mvrtle. 
Forty to sixty nests. 
H. S. G., I.vi.l908. 
ESKDALEMUIR . . 
Langshawburn Loch. At sides of loch, have known 
a small colony for some sixty years. 
About two hundred nests. Annually increasing . . 
Rev. R. BeU, 25.V.1908. 
A. McDonald, 2.vi.l908. 
Tanlawhill. On islands, sides of loch and on moss- 
hags. About two hundred nests ; increasing. 
A. McDonald, 2.vi.l908. 
Foulbog. On two little ponds at boundary of Dum- 
friesshire with Selkirkshire and Roxburghshire. 
Not increasing ; came about 1898 ; twenty nests. 
A. McDonald, 2.vi.l908. 
Glencairn 
Loch Urr. 1792. " A vast number of water-fowls 
[query L. ridibundus — H. S, G.] bring forth their 
young on the island, where there are bushes." 
Sixty per cent, died from starvation caused by 
QXOUgilL' ill opilUg Ui x%?\J\j. 
Immense destruction by rats in 1902 or 1903 
About five hundred and fifty nests on island, one 
hundred and forty on islet, and two hundred on 
mainland = 890 in 1908. 
About nine hundred on island, three hundred on 
islet, and one hundred on mainland = 1,300 in 
1910. 
Stat. Acct. Scot., Vol. II., 
p. 342. 
Trans. D. and G. Nat. 
Hist. Soc, December 
13th, 1901. 
J. Corrie, 2.iv.l909. 
H. S. G., 11.V.1908. 
H. S. G. 17.V.1910. 
Stranshalloch Loch. In existence many years, 
believed to be increasing. 
Twenty five to forty nests in 1909 
J. Corrie, 13.vii.l908. 
H. S. G., 9.vi.l909. 
KIRKMAHOE 
Black Loch, near Gledenholm. On and at sides of 
loch, on low boggy moor. In existence over fifty 
years ; upwards of five hundred nests in 1908. 
Great decrease in 1909. 
P. Coleman, 3.vi.l909. 
ZlRKPATRICK- 
Fleming. 
Raeburn Moss. In tufty grass ; could hardly walk 
without stepping on nests. Eggs are taken and 
sold as " Plovers' eggs." Nests in hundreds. 
Probably an offshoot from large colony between 
Gretna and Longtown on Solway Moss. 
W. F. Graham, 2.vi.l908. 
Miss D. M. Bate, 
30.V.1908. 
