1903. Notts. 55 



The Harvey Collection of Irish Birds. 



When at the Cork Exhibition last October, I took advantage of the 

 opportunity of visiting the Queen's College, for I was anxious to inspect 

 the fine collection of native birds presented to that Institution, by the 

 late Dr. J. R. Harvey, when leaving Cork to reside with his son in Dublin. 

 At the time of my visit the gentleman in charge of the collection was 

 absent, but one of the under officials very civilly obtained the keys and 

 opened the cases for me to examine some rare specimens that I had the 

 pleasure (many years ago) of presenting to my old and valued friend. 



My first view was very disappointing, from the neglected appearance 

 of the collection, and I was grieved to see the careless manner in which 

 the specimens were crowded and huddled together without any attempt 

 at arrangement, so that it was difficult to find any particular specimen 

 wanted. Especially some of the rare ones, which were partly hidden — 

 in some instances quite so, behind the common ones, instead of being 

 placed in the front of the cases, within view of the observer. For in- 

 stance, I was a long time trying to find a specimen of the Spotted Red- 

 shank (only the second known to have been obtained in Ireland), and at 

 last found it behind a Common Redshank, and other waders. Then, 

 again, when looking for a specimen of the Iceland Gull (only the fourth 

 known to Mr. Thompson as being shot in Ireland), I found it hidden in 

 a corner of the case behind its dust-covered companions, Blackbacked, 

 Herring, and Common Gulls. This state of things surprised me, for I 

 was under the impression that, where there was a Cork Naturalists' Field 

 Club, whose meetings you so fully report from time to time in the Irish 

 Naturalist, some interest would have been taken in this (which at one 

 time was the finest collection of native birds in the South of Ireland) if 

 not for the love of the science, at least for respect of the memory of the 

 generous donor, who, among Irish naturalists, ranked secojtd only to Wm. 

 Thompson. As far as I could judge from the appearance of the speci- 

 mens, no attempts have been made of late years to add to the collection, 

 and as I have no doubt that when Dr. Harvey made the presentation, it 

 was with the intention that the collection should form the nucleus of a 

 larger one, that ultimately would be part of a public museum, to further 

 the study of natural history. However, this does not seem to be the 

 view of either the College authorities, or of the Field Club. 



Robert Warren. 



Moy View, Ballina. 



Animal remains from the Gobbins Caves, Co. Antrim. 

 No one who has been fortunate enough to visit the wonderful Gobbins 

 cliffs and caves near Belfast can help being interested in the animal 

 remains which have been brought to light there. A cliff path— one of 

 the greatest sights in the North of Ireland — is being constructed along 

 the base of the fine basalt precipices under the able superintendence of 

 Mr. Wise. During the progress of the work caves were discovered in 

 which large quantities of bones were found. My attention was first 

 drawn to them by Mr. R Welch, who sent a selection of these animal 



