1924. Irish Societies. 141 



in the conductor's exposition of the distinguishing features of the various 

 fungi found, but the season was distinctly adverse to the finding of any 

 large assortment — the lack of sunshine being the probable reason of this. 

 After tea at the Freshfield Hotel, near Leixlip, the party returned by 

 tram, to Dublin, reaching Kingsbridge soon after 7 p.m. 



ROUTE NATURALISTS' FIELD CLUB. 



August 16. An excursion was made to the Grianan of Aileach by 

 motor via Coleraine and Londonderry. 



A technical description of the palace was given by Mr. J. J. Phillips, 

 who pointed out that this residence was one of the most remarkable 

 and important of its kind erected by the ancient Irish as the palace of the 

 Northern Irish kings from the earliest age of historic traditions down 

 to the commencement of the twelfth' century. 



OBITUARY. 



George Chichester May, K.C. 



We deeply regret to record the death of George Augustus Chichester 

 May, who, after several j^ears of declming health, expired on the 3rd of 

 November, at his English home (The Down House, Shawford, Hampshire). 

 The son of a former Lord Chief Justice of Ireland, i\Ir. May graduated 

 at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1880, and lived in Dublin until about three 

 years ago, when his doctors advised him that change of climate was 

 essential. His loss was felt with especial severity by all who were 

 interested m the movement for protection of Irish birds, this being the 

 subject of his greatest enthusiasm and most persevering efforts. Though 

 making little profession to expert knowledge, he occasionally contributed 

 to this Journal and to a few English scientific papers notes that showed 

 habits of careful observation. He was President of the Dublin Naturalists' 

 Field Club in 1920 and 1921, and maintained hi« interest in the Club, 

 as well as in the protection of Irish bird-life, after his removal to England. 



NOTES. 



Black Redstart on Migration. 



In a letter from the Fastnet Rock lighthouse, written on November 

 3rd, Mr. P. Heneghan informs me that " a flock of slate-coloured birds 

 with yellow tails " visited the rock during October, and were objects of 

 much interest to himself and his shipmates. A specimen picked up 

 dead which he forwarded for identification proved (as the description 

 would have suggested) to be a Black Redstart^ — a species that has, perhaps, 

 been more frequently received from the Fastnet than from any other 

 Irish station. I think the statement that these birds came in a flock 

 is of sufficient interest to deserve record. In More's and Barrington's 

 Irish Migration Reports a few instances are noticed of parties of ten and 

 even twenty Black Redstarts having been seen at the Tearaght and 

 Skelligs ; but definite evidence of gregarious migration on the part of 

 this little bird — so thinly distributed as a rule during its visits here — is 

 scanty enough to give considerable value to Mr. Heneghan's note. 



Dublin. C. B. Moffat. 



