I9I7- RuTTLEDGE — Ornithological Notes from S. May 0. 151 



Lough Carra. Its dark plumage formed a strong contrast with that 

 of its companions. 



Common Curlew. — Very numerous at all seasons. The flocks began to 

 break about April 20th ; large flocks, however, existed much later. 

 These birds assemble in great numbers for the night at Lough Dcen, 

 and are seen making to that lake from the surrounding country 

 every evening. 



WhimbreL — The first Whimbrels were heard on April 23rd, which is 

 earlier than their usual date of arrival. They disperse themselves 

 over the bogs for over a fortnight from the time of their first 

 appearance. 



Black-headed Gull. — Many were killed during the winter, as was testified 

 by the numerous remains. Though my brother and I visited their 

 nesting sites on Lough Carra on April 23rd they had not yet laid 

 any eggs. 



Common Gull. — This species was not yet laying on April 23rd when we 

 visited Illanatrim Island, their breeding haunt in Lough Carra. 

 This species is abundant in spring, particularly at Lough Deen. 



Lesser Black-backed Gull. — One observed flying south in the evening of 

 January 4th, and several more during succeeding days.^ Often seen 

 during April. April 26th — five mature birds. April 25th — at Lough 

 Deen, one mature and two immature birds. We also saw this species 

 singly most days, and on one occasion watched one devouring a 

 dead sheep in the river Robe. 



Great Crested Grebe. — I did not see any on Lough Carra this spring though 

 they were there most probably. There was an immature bird on 

 Lough Joe (this lake lies N.N.E. of Lough Carra) on April 21st. 

 I was informed by a cottager at the lake that a bird or two always 

 came there in the spring, but that they were never seen during the 

 winter months. 



Bloomfield, Hollymount, Co. Mayo. 



IRISH SOCIETIES. 



ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



Recent gifts include Rabbits from Messrs. Wright and Brett, and 

 Pigeons from Mr. Dunbar. Five Lion cubs have been born in the Gardens 

 during the last few weeks, a litter of three (two males and a female) from 

 " Red Hugh " and " Nigeria," and a couple of females from " Oseni " 

 and " Sheila." The last-named male (" Oseni ") was captured as a wild 

 West African cub, while " Sheila " was born in Dublin from forest-bred 

 West African parents. 



1 This species seems rare inland in winter (Ussher's " List of Irish 

 Birds," page 49, and Ussherand Warren's " Birds of Ireland," page 339), 



