In Camp on Lough Erne. 1 1 1 



would well repay systematic investigation. We found two 

 colonies of Terns breeding (species not determined), and on 

 Gay Island a colony of lycsser Black-backed Gulls {Larus 

 fusctis), and on Gull Rock a large colony of Black-headed 

 Gulls (L, ridibundus). The nests of four species of duck 

 were obtained. Of the Wild Duck (^Anas boscas) two nests 

 were found, with clutches of nine and seven eggs respectively; 

 the eggs of the latter clutch, which I took, were still tolerably 

 fresh, and, of a dark blue-green tint. Mr. R. J. Ussher, to 

 whom I submitted an ^g^, writes that it belongs to a rare 

 and beautiful variety, indistinguishable in size and colour 

 from a set of Barrow's Golden-eye from Iceland in his collec- 

 tion. Of the Tufted Duck {Fuligula cristatd), we obtained five 

 or six nests, with clutches of from eight to thirteen eggs ; the 

 eggs of the only clutch which I brought home were very hard 

 set. Four nests of the Red-breasted Merganser {M. serrator) 

 were seen, with clutches of eight to ten eggs : they were also 

 hard set. The nests in all the preceding instances were built 

 on the ground among the rank grass and reeds, studded with 

 bushes, that fringe the shores of the islands, the only excep- 

 tion being one of the Mergansers, which was placed in a 

 recess at the foot of a tree in a thickly- wooded islet. Of the 

 Common Sheldrake {Tador7ia cormitd) one nest was found on 

 Bess Island, in a very peculiar position, being built among 

 long grass in tolerably level ground on the summit of the low 

 ridge that forms the backbone of the little islet. The nest 

 was very slight, a mere hollovv^ lined with a little grass, and it 

 contained two fresh eggs : Mr. Ussher has kindly confirmed 

 the species. The only other nest of note that we got was that 

 of a Woodcock, among bracken on one of the wooded islands, 

 containing four eggs that would have been hatched in about 

 a week. Though the Woodcock is generally a very early 

 breeder, late nesting does not appear unusual with it; on 

 July 25th, 1882, I found a nest with four eggs not more than 

 half incubated, on Slieve Donard, Co. Down : and I have 

 heard of another nest, asserted to have been that of a Wood- 

 cock, obtained on the Mourne mountains in the month of June. 



In repl}^ to queries of my friend Mr. Ussher, I would say 

 that we found no trace of either the Great Black-backed Gull 

 {L. marinus), or the Common Gull {L. canns), breeding on 

 lower lyOUgh Erne; and our boatman stated that the two 

 species {L. fusctis and L. ridibundtis) which we found, and 

 which he called respectively "Horse Gull" and '-Common 

 Gull" were the only ones he had ever observed breeding in 

 the district. 



It is, however, to the flora of I^ougli Erne that I wish at 

 present to refer. The botany of the lake-shores has been 

 examined somewhat exhaustively by Mr. R. M. Barrington, 

 the fruits of his careful investigations appearing in the Pro- 

 cecdings of the Royal Irish Academy, 2nd ser., vol. IV., (1884). 



