1903. Notes. 139 



Carrion Crow in the Irish Channel. 



On Tuesday, March 31st, as I was crossing the Irish Channel from 



Dublin to Holyhead, I noticed a Carrion Crow {Corvus corone) following 



astern of the steamer. When I first saw the bird we were still about 



twenty-five miles off the South Stack headland ; it appeared to fly away 



from a large flock of clamorous Herring Gulls, which were greedily 



feeding on floating refuse. Whether the crow was attracted seawards 



from the Holyhead district, where it is not uncommon, for the purpose 



of procuring food or not, it is hard to say. It leisurely followed the 



boat, being strong and buoyant on the wing, nor had it the appearance 



of a bird anxiously heading for its destination, overcome by migratory 



fatigue. In the distance I might have mistaken this bird for a Rook 



{Corvus frugilegns), but when it came several times quite close to the deck, 



where I was standing, I could see by its characteristic flight and heavier 



build that it was undoubtedly a true Corvus corone. When we came within 



three miles of Holyhead, the crow (which up till then had followed the 



vessel somewhat closely) left us, and steered for the land below the 



South Stack lighthouse. I watched it until it ultimately disappeared 



among the shadows of the cliffs. Although common in parts of England 



and Wales, the Carrion Crow is extremely rare in Ireland, and it seems 



curious that a few wanderers have not occasionally ventured across 



the Channel. This they may have done oftener than we think, as the 



Carrion Crow is easily overlooked and confounded with the Rook. 



Chari^es J. Patten. 

 Sheffield. 



Donegal Birds. 



The Zoologist for March contains an interesting article by W. C. 

 Wright, entitled " Ornithological Notes from Co. Donegal." We much 

 regret that the author has given such particulars of the nesting-locality 

 of the Red-throated Diver as would lead to its identification. Conse- 

 quently, we may expect to hear of renewed raids by English collectors. 

 We wish that the example set by Mr. Williams, in his article on the 

 Red-necked Phalarope in the February Irish Naturalist, had been 

 lollovved, and only the vaguest details of the nesting-locality given. 



Marten in Co. Londonderry. 



In the first week of February, 1903, an exceptionally large male 



Marten {Mustela vtartes) was trapped near Castlerock, on the farm of Mr. 



Con Doherty. Several fowls had disappeared in a mysterious manner, 



and the Marten being seen one day near the fowl house, a trap was set 



and the poor creature caught. Its fur was almost black, and it weighed 



about 5 lbs. The last INIarten I have a note of from this county was 



caught in the same neighbourhood in June, 1900. 



Robert Patterson. 

 lielfast. 



