Notes. 195 



ZOOLOGY. 



I N S E C T S . 



Vanessa io at HowTh. With reference to Mr. Starkey's capture of 

 Vanessia io at Howth this summer, I think it ri^i^ht to mention that in 

 the summer of 1891 my son set free a considerable number of F". io here. 

 When returning from school he brought over the larvae from Marl- 

 borough. — George V. Hart, Howth. 



[We thank Prof Hart for this information. As F. io is known to be a 

 Dublin insect, though not a common one, no harm has been done by this 

 introduction. But we would take the opportunity of asking naturalists 

 to abstain from, and discourage the practice of artificially introducing 

 species into districts. Specimens may be captured years afterwards, 

 when the fact of the introduction has been forgotten, and entirely false 

 conclusions as to geographical distribution may be drawn from their 

 occurrence, — Eds.] 



LepidopTERA in Co. Dubinin. During the past season I obtained in 

 Co. Dublin some moths and larvse which I think are worth noting. The 

 localities in brackets after each species, are the only other records I can 

 find. One full-fed larva of Notodonta dromcdarius off poplar, Tibradden, 

 which has pupated [Co. Wicklow]; a yoting larva of Lophopteryx camelina 

 also off poplar, near Mt. Pelier [Powerscourt and Killarney]; one fine 

 specimen of the noctuid Hylina ornithopus, found resting on a wall near 

 Carrickmines, by a friend [Killarne}^ and Wicklow rare] ; Iladena glauca 

 one, last June flying in garden [Belfast, Londonderry, Rathowen, Killy- 

 non]; Zandognatha grisccdis resting on a wall nearRathfarnham [Kingstown, 

 Killarney]; and a specimen of the pretty Cidaria siterata in oak wood, 

 Mt. Pelier [Co. Wicklow].— J. N. Halbert, Dublin. 



MOLL use A. 



Spirula, lanthina, and Veleila at Lough Swii,i,y. In the Zoologist 

 for November, Mr. H. C. Hart writes that a number of specimens of 

 Sjnrula australis, lanthina rotundata, and Vclclla sp. have been washed 

 ashore at Port Salon, Lough Swilly. 



BIRDS. 



IcEi<AND Gui.1. (Larus leucopteriis) on Lough Swii^ly. Mr. H. C. 

 Hart writes to the Zoologist that he has lately seen an Iceland Gull on 

 Lough Swilly, the second that has appeared there this autumn. 



Ruffs (Machetes pii^ax) at Inch, Lough Swii^IvY.— About 2nd Sep- 

 tember, Mr. Herbert Williams shot a pair of Ruffs at Inch, one of which 

 (a female), he sent to me for identification. The birds were flushed from 

 a flooded slobland with some four or five inches of water upon it. On 

 26th October, Mr. John McConnell shot a Ruff at Inch, which he sent to 

 me to identify. It was a fine male. — D. C. Campbell, Londonderry. 



The Stock-dove (Columtoa senas) in Co. Antrim. It is some few 

 years since the late Rev. J. G. Holmes discovered in Antrim Park what 

 he believed to be the nest of the vStock-dove. It was placed in a hollow 

 under the overhanging bark of Don ere river, and contained t\yo eggs 

 which he removed" for preservation, without, however, observing the 

 parent bird. Doubts w^ere expressed by some as to the sufficiency of the 

 proofs of identification, no previous record having been made apparently 

 of this species being known in the district ; but such may now be set 

 aside, as not only does the bird occur, but by careful obser\-ers may be 

 seen in considerable numbers, three or four being frequently seen here 

 amongst a large flock of the Ring-dove. The opportunity for observing 

 these birds whilst at rest are few; for like the Ring-doves, they are ex- 

 ceedingly shy, leaving their feeding grounds when disturbed, and flying 

 long distances before again alighting. Though smaller, they so much 

 resemble the Ring-dove (especially immature specimens on which the 

 unmistakable ring has not shown itself), that undoubtedly they are 



