1908. Pattkn. — Rambles on Achill Island. 193 



numbers of Black-headed and Common Gulls on the water. T 

 learned from Mr. Williams that of the two species the latter is 

 much more abundant in Achill, except during the breeding- 

 season, and at all times the Black-headed Gull is much less 

 numerous here than it is in Dublin Bay. Cormorants were 

 more numerous in the Sound than Shags, the latter being 

 alwa3'S more partial to the open sea and cliff-bound coast. 

 Nevertheless, when Shags appeared in the Sound, they 

 occurred in groups of half a dozen or so ; Cormorants 

 more often singh\ 



TJutrsday, September 12th. — Accompanying Mr, Williams to 

 his house at Breanaskill; I .spent the day experimenting with 

 the telephoto apparatus. The light w^s better than on the 

 previous day, though far from good- As the tide ebbed I dis- 

 covered that on a certain rock, covered with brown sea-v,^eed, 

 Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, and Curlews frequently alighted. 



Friday^ September 13//^.— Another day at Breanaskill Bay 

 with the camera. The chief subjects photographed were 

 Redshanks, Ringed Plovers, and Curlews scattered over the 

 slob-lands. 



Saturday, September i/\th. — This being a bright, beautiful 

 day, I gave up the forenoon to telephotography, hoping at 

 last to get successful results. I took up my usual position at 

 Breanaskill Bay. Arriving at the house, I peeped out of the 

 window and descried several Curlews asleep on a reef of sand 

 nearly surrounded by water. It was here an easy matter to 

 make time exposures^ but the birds formed a bad subject, as 

 the heads and beaks rested on the backs, and onl}^ the breasts 

 faced the camera, so that the birds resembled little else than 

 a number of round grey stones. Presently the sun shone out 

 so brightly that the water of the slob-land glittered like silver 

 vSpangles, and, under the focussing cloth, it was evident that 

 this vivid halation would cause complete effacement on the 

 photographic plate of considerable flocks of birds. Abandon- 

 ing photography, I next watched with interest how a Herring- 

 Gull and two Hooded Crows walked several times round the 

 carcase of a drowned pig, now and again halting to make a 

 closer inspection. It was amusing to see the Crows tilting 

 their heads sideways with a philosophic air as though they 

 were deepl}" considering how they should commence to 



