194 The hhh Naturalist. vSeptember, 



out that the tormentor was only a Skua, which on that occasion 

 at all events was unsuccessful in forcing the Redshank to 

 eject its food.^ Finally the Skua flew out again to sea and 

 disappeared. 



Monday, September 2ist. — I watched the Great-crested Grebe 

 swimming about quietly on the water at the back of the house. 

 During my bathe to-day several Razorbills and Guillemots 

 dived and rose to the surface, so close to me that with a camera 

 I could have secured interesting snap-shots. 



During luncheon the ' cheeping ' of Meadow-Pipits, mingled 

 with the alarm cries of several other small birds, suggested 

 to me that a hawk was about. On going to the front door I 

 saw^ a Kestrel perched on a hay-stack, and flitting over its 

 head was a little company of Greenfinches, while the Pipits 

 w^ere flying to and fro agitated, but not to any great extent. 

 Presently the Hawk left the stack and poised in the air over 

 the corn. The group of finches followed closel}- above, and 

 when at last the harmless little falcon alighted on a telegraph 

 wire, with a row of small birds on either side, many persons 

 looking on were much surprised at the curious fraternity. 

 That the Kestrel seldom molests small birds is well known, 

 and this is only one of many instances which have come under 

 my personal notice illustrating the remarkable absence of fear 

 which small birds evince in its presence. 



Tuesday, September 22nd.— -Mr. Wilkins and I started in 

 the forenoon for Balbriggan. The da}^ was beautifully fine, 

 and taking the coast we were fortunate in being able to add 

 several more birds to our list. We noticed onh an odd Tern 

 near the house. The large company were fishing near Barna- 

 geara. Among them we observed a Sandwich Tern, which 

 allowed us close enough to identify its long, stout, black beak. 

 On this occasion we heard no voice, hence the necessity of a 

 careful examination with a binocular at close quarters. Apart 

 from its larger size we made out that proportionately the sweep 

 of the wing is less than in the Common Tern, and that in 

 flight the latter shows higher and more prominent shoulders. 

 Here also we noticed three Sheldrake and two Red-breasted 



1 Perhaps the Redshank had no food in its gizzard to eject. This 

 I tliink was unlikely, as there is reason to believe that the Skua seldom 

 attacks birds other than those which have been recently feeding. 



