94 The Irish Naturalist. July-Aug., 



Larg-e Flock of Ring Doves in Spring". 



During the end of March and early in April, 19 19, I observed daily 

 large numbers of Ring Doves collected in one particular grass field about 

 a mile from Castlecomer. At first 1 estimated there were quite two 

 hundred birds scattered over the field, but as time went on, especially 

 after the first three or four days, the numbers rapidly decreased, and 

 by the 8th April all had gone. The birds were comparatively tame and 

 took little notice of persons passing on the road, which was much 

 frequented, and ran along one side of the field from which it was separated 

 by a low wall. At first I took them to be migrating birds, but as they 

 remained in the same place, day after day, especially in the forenoon, 

 I changed m.y opinion and came to the conclusion that they had assembled 

 for the purpose of choosing mates. I noticed on several occasions what 

 were evidently love antics being performed, A pair of birds would, 

 separate a little from the flock and gradually walk away from the main 

 body, and one bird, presumably the cock, would droop his wings, fluff 

 out his feathers and continually bow to the ground whilst following the 

 other bird which was always a few feet in advance. The hen bird 

 appeared to me to take little notice of these antics except that she continued 

 to separate from the flock. On a few occasions, after about ten minutes, 

 I have seen both birds fly away together, and if they did not do so they 

 remained together, apart from the main body, and the cock would cease 

 his antics though these might be resumed later. I have never seen a 

 pair which had separated from the flock and indulged in these antics, 

 rejoin the main body. I never could get near enough to the birds to 

 hear if any note was uttered during this courtship. The species 

 extremely numerous about this district. Perhaps some of your readers 

 could say if it is the usual habit of Ring Doves to assemble in large flocks 

 like this for the purpose of selecting mates. 



W'. M. Abbott. 

 Castlecomer, Co. Kilkenny. 



Recent Records of Irish Birds. 



Mr. Seton Gordon states that in 1918 at least seventeen pairs of the 

 Common Scoter {Oidemia n. nigra) bred at the station discovered in 1905 

 by Major Trevelyan {Field, loth August, 191 8, p. 133). An adult 

 male American Goshawk [Accipiter geniilis atricapillus) was shot near 

 Strabane on 24th February, 1919 ; it showed no signs of having been 

 in captivity {British Birds, 19 19, p. 31). G. R. Humphreys records 

 seeing three Dotterel at Kilbarrack, Co. Dublin, on 27th April, 1919, 

 during the north-easterly blizzard of that date {ihid., p. 61). 



