I04 The Irish Naturalist. May, 19 12. 



Migratory Movements of Chaffinches. 



Major Barrett-Hamilton's observations on the cross-channel flight 

 of some twenty-three Chaffinches which flew with the steamer towards 

 Fishguard, is of considerable interest, coinciding as it does with the time 

 when Chaffinches began to make their appearance on the Tuskar Rock 

 last autumn. There I collected five of this species, four females and one 

 male, on the 6th October, and on the next day one Chaffinch appeared. 

 Prior to these dates there was not a sign of a Chaffinch on the rock. 

 On October loth, two, and on October nth, four were seen, while on the 

 12th the birds were numerous and remained on the rock all day, many 

 showing signs of exhaustion towards evening : indeed, one was found dead 

 in the morning of this day. Next day — October i :5th — many Chaffinches 

 were still about, three being picked up dead, which I secured. 



The University, vSheffield. C. J. Patten. 



Birds of Skerries, Co. Dublin. 



In the Irish Naiitralist, p. 244, vol. xviii., Mr. W, J. Williams expresses 

 surprise that I did not list the Tree-Sparrow in my paper on " The Orni- 

 thology of Skerries, Co. Dublin," {ante, pp. 185-202). and thinks I must 

 either have overlooked or failed to identify the species. Certainly not the 

 latter ; I know the bird too well, it being a particular pleasure to say that 

 I owe much of my knowledge in this direction to both Mr. W. J. Williams 

 and his much lamented deceased brother, Edward, both of whom repeat- 

 edly drew my attention most carefully to this bird's habits and form, now 

 a good many years ago when I resided in Dublin. I feel I must really have 

 overlooked this bird, but the extent is lessened when one considers that 

 my walks all the time I was in Skerries in September. 1908, never took me 

 away from the sea -road, and indeed I spent most of my time on the actual 

 beach. Hence it is quite likely that on several occasions as I passed along 

 the road the Tree -Sparrows were frequenting the hedgerows a little distance 

 inwards, and so were beyond observing range. Nevertheless, I admit 

 I should have been able to include that bird on my list. In regard to Mr. 

 Williams' other criticism, I wish to point out that I did not say that the 

 Wood -Pigeon fed on the undigested droppings (a colloquial term for 

 ■ foeces) of the Herring-Gull but rather on the grain contained in the ejected 

 pellets from the crop of the latter bird. There were many pellets on the 

 flat slabs of rock, and many grains of corn, clean and fresh, contained in 

 each. Why should not the Wood -Pigeon, with its strong predilection for 

 corn, in order to satiate its voracious appetite, adopt this peculiar mode of 

 supplementing its repast ? Probably the visits primarily to the rocks 

 were for salt, a condiment which all pigeons, wild or tame, much relish. 

 But eating salt would not necessarily mean that the l:)irds must abstain 

 from picking the grains of corn when close at hand. 



The University, Sheffield. C. J. Patten. 



