20 The Irish Nafutalist. January, 19 lo. 



thought to be an escaped parrot. The former specimen is in 

 our Derry Museum, the latter in Dublin Museum. 



The Kingfisher {Alcedo ispida, I^inn.) occasionally visits the 

 fresh water at Inch, and has bred during some .seavSons in holes 

 at the sluices. It has also been seen at the pier, Buncrana. 



The Cuckoo {Cicai/us canorus, Linn.) is common. The belief 

 still exists here that " she changes into a hawk in winter." 



Among the birds of prey, we have the three Owls — the 

 Long-eared Owl [Asia of us, Linn.) is common ; the Short-eared 

 Owl {A. accipit7'i7ius^ Pallas) has been shot once when flying 

 over the Bank at Inch. The Barn Owl {Strix flavnnea, Linn.) 

 is not very common. 



The Peregrine {Falco peregrinu'i, Tunstall) visits the district 

 regularly. It is called the "big hawk" or " the hawk." A 

 Peregrine visited our cit}' in June, 1892, and took up its abode 

 in the tower of the Guild-hall, from which it emerged from 

 time to time to seize a pas.sing pigeon. It was an escaped bird, 

 for when I examined it on capture I found a small piece of 

 leather attached to one leg. The Kestrel (7^ thuuinadus, Linn.) 

 is very common ; the Merlin {F. acsalo7i, Tunstall), rare The 

 vSparrow-Hawk {Accipiter ?i/s?/s, Linn.) is the commonest bird 

 of prey ; it is ver\' daring. 



The Shag {Phalacrocorax graculus, Linn.) visits Lough vSwilly, 

 but I have never noted it as far up as Inch. The Cormorant 

 {P. carlo, Linn.) is much in evidence. I have noted it often 

 roosting in numbers on trees. Its marvellous powers of diges- 

 tion were exemplified to me by one kept as a pet by a friend. 

 When fish failed; my friend shot about a dozen sparrows, which 

 the cormorant swallowed with gusto. The Gannet {Svia 

 bassana, Linn.) visits the Swillj' in some numbers, and comes 

 well up the lough. I have seen a flock fishing so close to the 

 shore that the birds were diving almost into the surf, /rl' 



The Heron (Ardea a'?ie?'ea, Linn.) is common, and nests in 

 some numbers at Falian and Fortstewart. My friend; Mr. W. K. 

 Hart, has noticed how persistently the Hooded Crows persecute 

 the Herons at Kilderry by attacking them when they come to 

 their nests with food for the j^oung, and compelling them to 

 disgorge. The crows carried this .so far in some cases that the 

 young Herons were practically starved, and the parents in con- 

 sequence changed their nesting-place. The Bittern {Boiaurus 

 siellaris, Linn.) has occurred once. One was shot by Mr. D. 

 Deeny on loth January, 1900. 



