1903- Notes, 199 



Protection of the Red-throated Diver in its Irish Nesting Haunt. 



In the Irish Naturalist for May the Editors reprove me for mentioning 

 in my notes on Donegal Birds to the Zoologist, the only locality in Ireland 

 at present known to naturalists where the Red-throated Diver breeds, 

 or rather tries to, every season ; the exact spot is not divulged, and I 

 think the English collector or dealer would have some trouble in finding 

 it, should he think it worth his while to send over and try. 



But my present object in writing is not to protect these poor birds 

 from the English invader, but from certain persons residing in the 

 vicinity, and I think, in the interests of Irish ornitholog}', something 

 should be done and at once so as to save the eggs from being taken this 

 year. I know the name of a person who has harried these birds, and 

 who has an open order for a clutch of their eggs from a high Govern- 

 ment official, and doubtless, unless some steps are taken to prevent a 

 repetition of this cruelty, this worthy will rob the nest again, and be 

 paid for his trouble to the tune of half a sovereign an Qgg. 



Now I suggest a watcher be put on this season until the young birds 



are clear of the nest, and the expense of this borne by the Fauna and 



Flora Committee, or by a few Irish ornithologists, who really have the 



protection of our rare Irish breeding birds at heart ; for, as Mr. Kearton 



says, " once a bird drops below a certain point of rarity, the premium 



upon its skin and eggs appears to seal its doom," which is doubtless very 



true in this case. 



W. C. Wright. 

 Belfast. 



In the Zoologist for April Robert Warren contributes a strongly- 

 worded protest against the continued persecution of the Red-throated 

 Diver at its only Irish breeding- place, and makes the welcome announce- 

 ment that the owner of the lakes has taken the matter up, and has 

 issued orders to his keepers for the strictest preservation of the birds 

 and their eggs for this and future seasons. This is the action of a true 

 naturalist, and if other land-owners would follow Mr. Herdman's 

 example, our vanishing rare birds and mammals would have a chance of 



surviving. 



The Editors 



Some Ornithological Notes from Moyview. 



The severe spring weather delayed the departure of our winter 

 visitors, as well as the arrival of many of our summer birds. 



Some Wigeon were seen about the 25th of April ; while a flock of 

 twenty- five to thirty Pintails frequented the sands of the estuary off one 

 of my fields daily, until same date, when they were last seen. 



Having visited Bartragh on the 30th, I met in the channel several lots 

 of Red-throated Divers— fifteen altogether— many of which appeared to 

 be in summer plumage ; but they were very wild, and gave me no chance 

 of obtaining a specimen. These birds usually assemble every season 

 in the estuary before leaving for their northern haunts. 



