52 The Irish Nahiralist. 



*Hirundo rustica, Iv. — SwaIvI<OW. Common in summer; builds in 

 outhouses and sheds. I observed it only about Mr. Gage's house and 

 over the lakes. Has been seen on the i8th April (Migration Report, 

 1885). 

 *Clielidon urbica, L. — House-marTin. Very common in silmmer, 

 more numerous than the last; builds in the White Rocks at the north 

 side of Church bay, in company with the Swift. 

 :*Ligtirmiis cMoris, L. — Greenfinch. Numerous in winter; a nest 

 was found for the first time in May, 1885. 

 Carduelis elegans, Stephens. — Goi^dfinch. A winter visitor. For- 

 merly, when brambles and wild roses were more plentiful, they 

 bred regularl3^ 

 *Passer domesticus, Iv. — House-Sparrow. Common at all the farm- 

 houses. I noticed that all I saw were distinctly lighter in colour and 

 appeared also smaller than those on the mainland. 

 Pringilla coelebs, L. — Chaffinch. A few have been occasionally seen 

 in the garden, but they have not been known to breed ; chiefly seen 

 in winter. I did not observe any in the month of June. 

 *Acant]iis cannabina, L. — I^innet. Common in summer and winter ; 

 it breeds in low bushes and whins. Frequently observed by the 

 light-keepers on migration. 



[Mr. Howard Saunders, in the article referred to, mentions the 

 Lesser Redpoll, Acazithis rufescens, Vieillot, as breeding on the 

 island, but Mr. Gage states it is quite unknown.] 



^Acanthis flavirostris, L. — Twite. Fairly common all over the island, 

 breeding in the higher ground. Mr. Howard Saunders found the nest 

 on the ledge of a high cliff. 



*Emberiza miliaria, L/. — Corn-bunting. Common and permanently 

 resident; breeds in suitable localities. 



*Emberiza citrinella, L. — Yeeeow-bunting. More numerous than the 

 last, and resident. Nests frequently found. 



*Einberi2a schceniclus, Iv. — Reed-bunting. Common in the bogs 

 throughout the island, where it breeds. 

 Plectrophenax nivalis, Iv. — Snow-bunting. A regular winter visitant, 

 sometimes in large flocks. Frequently seen on migration, as the 

 following notes from the Reports will show^: — "May i6th, shot a bird 

 very like a Snow-bunting. October 14th, thirty. Some seen also on 

 15th, 17th, and iSth (October, 1883). October i6th, ten at noon, re- 

 main (1884). March loth, one seen. September 6th, five going S." 



*Sturnus vulgaris, Iv. — Starring. Very common ; it breeds in clefts 

 of rocks, chiefly in the neighbourhood of Church bay. Large flocks 

 frequentl}' observed on migration. 



*Pyrrhocorax gi:aculus, L- — Chough. Very common all over the island, 

 they breed in the cliffs, chiefly at the White Rocks. Called "Jack- 

 daw" by the natives. 



*Pica rustica, Scop. — Magpie. Not so frequently seen as formerly. 

 They used to build in a clump of trees near Mr. Gage's house, but on 

 some sportsmen shooting into the nests, they took to the rocks, where 

 a few pairs still breed. 

 Corvus monedula, L. — Jackdaw. Rarely seen; occasionally comes 

 from mainland. 



*Corvus corax, L. — Raven. One or two pairs breed in the most inac- 

 cessible cliffs on the north side of the island ; formerly they were much 

 more numerous, and were very destructive to young lambs, etc. One 

 bird was seen to pick the e3'es out of a ewe just after lambing, and was 

 shot b}' the shepherd. The latter — a very observant man— states that 

 every year, as soon as the young birds were able to fly and procure 

 their own food, the old birds regularly drove them away from the 

 place. Both old and young birds would disappear from the island for 

 four or five days, and then the old birds would return alone. In Maj', 

 1867, a singular fight between Peregrines and Ravens occurred. Both 

 birds had nests at no great distance from each other, on a very in- 



