156 The Irish Naturalist, August, 1913. 



Sandwich Tern at Wexford Bar. 



On Monday, 22nd April last, whilst travelling from the Tuskar Rock 

 to Wexford by steam -tug, I had a splendid view of a Sandwich Tern 

 (Sterna cantiaca), as it stood perched on a buoy off the south end of Wexford 

 " Bar." I was so near the bird that there was no need to make use of 

 my binoculars to ensure identification ; its superior size, black feet, and 

 black beak were quite easily discernible. As in the case of the White 

 Wagtail {Motacilla alba) so also in the case of this species we owe a great 

 deal of thanks to Mr. Warren for his many observations from the west 

 coast. If some of our Irish ornithologists would keep a sharp look-out for 

 this tern along the east coast of Ireland, I daresay that it might be found 

 breeding. The diversified low-lying coastland between Wexford and 

 Dublin ought to tempt the Sandwich Tern to breed along this section of 

 Ireland. Wexford is the second county on the east coast in which I can 

 now record the appearance of this tern. On Sunday, September 20th, 

 1908, I observed two Sandwich Terns at Skerries, Co. Dublin {Irish Natur- 

 alist, 1909, p. 193). 



C. J. Patten. 



University, Sheffield. 



" Birds New to Ireland." 



Why does Mr. Barrington introduce the question of variation of wing- 

 measurement in discussing the validity of my supposed Mediterranean 

 Skylark ? {vide Irish Naturalist, vol. xxi., p. 84). I did not raise the 

 point, and I place no importance upon it. As a matter of fact, the wing- 

 measurement of my strange Lark corresponds about to the average of 

 the Common Skylark. In regard to the light grey plumage I do not 

 consider this, if taken alone, is the most important feature either, and 

 it will interest Mr. Barrington to hear that out of the forty-eight Skylarks 

 which I have obtained from the Tuskar, I have shades varying almost 

 from melanic forms to very light greyish-browns. One bird in particular 

 which I obtained last April, is almost as light as my A . cantarella. But it 

 is certainly not A. cantarella ; it has not the same sort of head or beak. 

 Why does Mr. Barrington not debate the question regarding the 

 stronger upward curve of the lower segment of the beak, which seems to 

 me to be the most distinguishing feature of my A . cantarella ? I can find 

 nothing like this in my forty-eight Common Skylarks. 



C. J. Patten. 



University, Sheffield. 



The Lusitanian Flora and Fauna. 



To Knowledge for March last, Dr. Scharff contributes an illustrated 

 article " On the Resemblance of the Flora and Fauna of Ireland to that 

 of the Spanish Peninsula." 



