yS The Irish Natiiralist . April, 



Oxyria digyna in Co. Clare— A Correction. 



In a paper on the Levinge Herbarium, by Prof. Johnson and myself, 

 published in the Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society. 

 1903, Oxyria digyna. Hill, is recorded from " Hill near Lisdoonvarua, Co. 

 Clare." Further examination of this specimen proves it to be an unusual 

 form o^ Rumex scntaius. The leaves are rounded at the apex, much less 

 sagittate than usual, and so like those of the Mountain Sorrel, as to have 

 deceived Mr. I.evinge, who had labelled it Oxyria digyna, Hill. Kumex 

 scntaius is recorded from an old wall at Lisdoonvarua iu the appendix to 

 *' Cybele Hibernica," 2nd Ed. Specimens from this locality have recently 

 been presented to the herbarium by Mr. Praeger, a'jd a comparison of 

 the Levinge specimen with these shows that it is identically the same 

 plant. 



M. C. Knowi.es. 

 Dublin Museum. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Notes on Irish Birds. 



British Birds for March contains notices of a Black Redstart captured 

 on 3rd November at Kilternan, Co. Dublin. The January Zoologist con- 

 tains notes from \V. J Williams of the occurrence of two immature 

 Ospreys in Co Sligo in November, 1907, and of a Night-Heron in Co. 



Meath during the same month. 



Seagulls in the City of Dublin, 



Any person interested in birds, especially sea birds, cannot but be 

 struck with admiration at the beautiful sight of the gulls that frequent 

 the River Liffey in the vicinit}- of Wellington-quay, where the Poddle 

 River discharges itself into the LifFey. The gulls in former years were 

 dispersed along the river, but as the main drainage is now an accom- 

 plished fact they are somewhat restricted in their feeding ground, and 

 congregate in large numbers to feed on the offal brought down b}' the 

 Poddle in its underground course through part of the slums of Dublin. 

 Several species of gull may be seen at different periods of the year; the 

 Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, frequents the river all through the 

 autumn, winter, and early spring, but is seldom seen during the 

 breeding season, June and Jul}'. In March the Lesser Black-backed 

 Gull — Larus fuicus — arrives from its winter home, and haunts the river 

 almost the summer through till the advent of winter warns to go 

 south again. In May, 1906, 1 had the pleasure of seeing that rare 

 species, the Iceland Gull, Z. leucoptertis, in company with Herring Gulls, 



