T909. PATTKN. — 0}nithology of Skerries, Co. Dicblin. 197 



' freiich grey ' as in the adult plumage, but unlike the latter the 

 wings were still chequered with grejdsh brown. Many of the 

 adult birds had assumed the white marking on the forehead, 

 characteristic of the winter dress. Just outside the pier oppo- 

 site the bathing-place called ' The Captain's Hole ' v/e observed 

 two Puffins on the water. They were feeding activeh' judging 

 from the very brief time they remained on the surface. 



Thursday, September 24th. — The greater part of the day was 

 spent in preserving the skins of Guillemots and Razorbills, 

 which had been picked up on the beach. One interesting note 

 I made, however, on the movements of a Sparrow-Hawk. I 

 was sitting on a rock watching Curlews and Oyster-catchers 

 foraging in the seaweed when a Sparrow-Hawk swept through 

 a flock of finches which rose from the adjacent corn-field ; 

 other small birds rose and pursued him, but evidently he was 

 not hungry, for more than once his opportunity came to snatch 

 up his quarr}', which he now deigned to discard. It was 

 amusing to watch the audacity of the small birds ; however, 

 a more serious mobbing awaited the Hawk, for as he crossed 

 the road towards the beach he w^as so set upon b}' three Rooks 

 that they drove him to the ground, his onh^ mode of ridding 

 himself of his tormentors being to skim out to sea. The rooks 

 being unable to keep pace with him pursued only a short dis- 

 tance. When the hawk found himself once more unmolested 

 he rose in graceful circling flight to a height in the air and 

 was soon out of sight. 



Friday, September 25th. — A wet stormy day spent indoors. 

 I made some more bird-skins. In the afternoon I went out for 

 a short time and noticed that there was a great scarcity of 

 Swallows. The previous night the wind raged high. A few 

 Guillemots were coping with wind and wave ; the numbers of 

 Terns had greatly thinned out, but Curlews and Oyster-catchers 

 were present in increasing numbers. 



Saturday, September 26th. — The exodus of Swallows is still 

 more evident to-day. The weather being fine, opportunity was 

 afforded of looking out for these birds at different points, and 

 they seemed to be decidedly scarce. Roughly estimated I 

 would say that seven t\'-five per cent, of the Swallows seen were 

 immature birds. 



Sunday, September 27th. — Only a few Terns and Swallows 

 about the house. At 2 o'clock my wife and I left Skerries for 



