44 The Irish Nahiralist. 



The Tree-Creeper (Certhia familiaris) as a song-bird.— Most of 

 our writers on ornithology describe the Tree-creeper as a non-singing 

 bird, asserting that it has but a single note — the shrill " cheep" which it 

 utters now and then as it runs up the trunk of a tree or along a stout 

 branch, sometimes giving forth a quick, hurried repetition of the same. 

 I wonder how many of our ornithologists know that this is a mistake. 

 The Tree-creeper is a song-bird, but, for various reasons, it is no wonder 

 that the fact is not generally known. Firstly (writing from my own 

 experience), the period during which the bird sings is very limited. I 

 have never heard the song earlier than the end of March, nor later than 

 the middle of INIa}'. Secondh', it sings very rarely, and usually early in 

 the morning. Thirdh', the observer, on hearing the song, turns to the 

 point from whence it came, and anxiousl}'^ awaits for it to be repeated ; 

 but, as the bird will not sing again for some time, he grows tired of 

 waiting, and passes on his way, ascribing what he has heard to the 

 nearest Robin, this bird having some rolls which somewhat resemble 

 the song of the Tree-creeper. It was the late Miss Massy, the discoverer 

 of the Redstart as a breeding species in Ireland, who finst drew my atten- 

 tion to the Tree-creeper's song. This lady being one of the most 

 accurate observers of bird-life that I ever knew, I could not doubt her 

 statement ; so in the ensuing spring I spent a great deal of time, early 

 and late, about the breeding haunts of the bird, and received abundant 

 practical confirmation of her observations. — ^James Johnston, Novara, 

 Bray. 



Whooper (Cygnus musicus) and Rough-t^egged Buzzard (Buteo 

 lagopus) IN Co. DoNEGAi^. A Whooper was shot at Horn Head, Co. 

 Donegal, towards the end of October last, and during the last week of 

 November a male Rough-legged Buzzard was killed at the same place. — 

 H. Beecher (in the Field, March 12). 



Jays (Garrulus glandarius) in County Westmeath. My friend, 

 Mr. H. C. Levinge, tells me that his gamekeeper vshot a jay, and saw 

 another a few da^-s ago at Knockdrin Castle. This is the first time that 

 I have heard of the occurrence of the Jay in County Westmeath.— A. G. 

 More (in Irish Sportsman, March 12). 



White Snipe (Gallinago ccelestis). In the Irish Sportsman for March 

 19th, Mr. Daniel Dodd}- records a perfectl}' White Snipe which he shot 

 near Abbeyfeale, Co. Limerick, about a year ago. It had pinkish eyes 

 and legs; the bill was of the normal colour. 



Reported Occurrence of the Ferruginous Duck (Puligula 

 ixyroca) in Queen's County incorrect. In the Field for March 26th 

 Mr. A. G. More writes that the Ferruginous Duck reported from Queen's 

 County in the Field of January 30, turns out on examination to be a female 

 Golden-eye {Clangula glaucion). 



MAM MA LS. 



New Variety of the Extinct Irish Deer (Cervus giganteus). 



In Land and Water for March 26 jNIr. R. 1,3'dekker describes and figures an 

 interesting new variety of the Irish Deer, of which antlers have been 

 recently obtained at Kottbus and near Worms. It differs from the type 

 chiefly in the upward and forward (instead of outward horizontal) exten- 

 .sion of the antlers, and in the position of the plane of the antlers, the 

 anterior edge being twisted inward, so that the outer faces of the antlers 

 are visible from the front, instead of the inner face, as in the type. The 

 trez-tine is also much longer than in the normal form. Irish naturalists 

 will do well to look out for this interesting form in their own country, 

 which appears to have been the head-quarters of Cervus giganteus. 



In Land and Water for April 16 an illustration is given of a fine pair of 

 antlers of this species, eleven feet in span, and possessing a double trez- 

 tine. The specimen was obtained somewhere in Ireland, but particulars 

 are not forthcoming. 



