252 The Irish Naturalist. [November, 1899. 



The Little Tern in Dublin Bay. 



It seems to be a moot point whether the Little Tern {Sterna minuta) 

 breeds every year on the North Bull, or only irregularly. In Dr. Patten's 

 article in the Irish Naturalist for September, he gives (p. 195) details of 

 nests found there in the summers of 1891, 1893, 1S96, 1897, and 1899, but 

 mentions that he observed none in 1892, 1S94, 1895, or 1898, though the 

 locality was visited at about the same season every year. This would 

 seem to support the view that the site is not utilised every year, and that 

 such is the case seems also to be Dr. Patten's own opinion, since in a 

 former article (vol. vii., p. 237) he speaks of this tern on the North Bull 

 as "remaining to breed during some seasons." However, I find on 

 looking up my notes that on June 10th, 1892, 1 found a nest with eggs, and 

 other nests with broken egg-shells, at this breeding-station ; also, that 

 on July 1st, 1S94, I found seven nests with eggs, many fragments of 

 hatched shells, and two newly-hatched birds. It thus appears that in 

 the series of nine years, 1891-9, there were only two seasons, 1S95 and 

 189S, in which no nests of the Little Tern were seen on the Bull either 

 by Dr. Patten or by myself. Under the circumstances it seems to me 

 probable that they breed there every year, and certainly the negative 

 evidence is not strong enough to justify our setting them down as 

 nomadic in that locality. Any positive evidence as to nests found in 

 1895 or 1898 would tend to set the question at rest. 



Ballyhyland, Co. Wexford. C. B. MOFFAT. 



In reference to a communication entitled " The Construction of the 

 Nest of the Little Tern," by Charles J. Patten, I was much interested to 

 find that his remarks entirely agree with what I have myself observed. 

 During the last two summers I have on several occasions gone to the 

 South Bull (commonly called the Shelly Banks), beyond the Pigeon 

 House Fort ; at the extreme end of the sand hills is a large expanse of 

 sand covered with shells and loose shingle ; in the early summer this is 

 covered by the nests of the Little Tern ; I have counted as many as 

 nineteen nests in one short walk. The conical depression carefully lined 

 by small pieces of shells was always well marked, and frequently I 

 noticed the belt of sand surrounding the nest, from which, it seemed 

 evident, the lining shells had been gathered. 



Sandymount, Co. Dublin. R. Atkinson Stoney. 



MAMMALS. 



Pine Marten and Common Badger in County Caiway. 



An aged specimen of Pine Marten {Mustcla martes) was recently killed 

 near Galway, and is now in my possession. The Badger {Aides taxus) is 

 common in same locality, and Badger-hunting is a frequent pastime in 

 the district. The nature of the surface — rocky, woody, partially under 

 cultivation, and somewhat mountainous — affords suitable shelter and 

 hunting-ground for both animals, and it is not likely that they shall, for 

 many years, if at all, become extinct in County Galway. 



Galway. R. M. Gii,more;. 



