94 The Irish Naturalist. September, 



Wicklow Hills, was indicated and their mode of origin explained. As the 

 impounded waters rose in the temporary lakes, a point was reached when 

 the surface of the lake attained the same level as the col between two hills, 

 and the waters of the lake, flowing outwards across the col commenced to 

 cut an overflow channel These overflow channels have been traced along 

 the eastern, northern, and western slopes of the Dublin and Wicklow hills 

 from The Deputies' Pass near Rathdrum on the east to Hollywood Glen 

 ne^r Ballymore Eustace on the western edge of the Wicklow hills. 



A NEW IRISH FIELD CLUB. 



It is a pleasing duty to welcome the formation of a new Naturalists' 

 Field Club in Northern Ireland, taking its name from that most interesting 

 area of north Antrim anciently (and still) known as The Route. 

 Tlie starting of this Club as the result of geological lectures given last 

 winter in Coleraine, Bushmills, and Ballycastle, by Professor J. K. Charles- 

 worth, D. Sc, of the Queen's University, Belfast, recalls the fact that 

 the Belfast Naturalists' Field Club (to which the Route Club is affiliated) 

 had a somewhat similar origin, as a result of natural history lectures, 

 given by the late Professor Ralph Tate in the early sixties of last century. 

 The Club has for its first President the Hon. Helen Macnaghten of 

 Runkerry ; its Hon. Secretary and Treasurer is the Rev. E. M. Gumley, 

 B.A., Rector of Ballintoy. 



NOTES. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Comparison of Bggs and Down of Pochard and Tufted 



Duck. 



I had recently the opportunity of comparing clutches of eggs with down 

 of Pochard from England and Tufted Duck taken in May of this year in 

 Co. Tyrone. The 8 Pochard's eggs were of a clear greenish colour giving 

 an average measurement of 2 • 3175 x i • 66 inches. The eggs of the Tufted 

 Duck were darker in colour — olive green — and more glossy in texture with 

 a greasy look, and measured slightly less, viz. 2-315 x i"6i3 inches. The 

 general appearance of the downs was very similar, but seen in certain 

 lights that of the Pochard was browner than the sooty do'^\ai of the Tufted 

 Duck. The feel of the downs, however, was decidedly different, that of 

 the Tufted Duck being harsh whilst the Pochard's down was remarkably 

 soft. The feathers in the down proved strikingly difterent, these from the 

 Tufted Duck being of two types — (a) altogether silvery white and (6) brown 

 with silvery white tips. The few feathers among the Pochard's down 

 were much larger of sooty brown colour, one or two of them having lighter 

 coloured tips. 



Neven H. Foster. 



Hillsborough, Co. Down. 



