1898.] Barrett- Ha Mii^TON. — Introduction of Hares. 71 



" The English and Irish Hares remind me very much of the Red and 

 Fallow Deer in the way they live. Everyone knows that the Red and 

 Fallow Deer will not feed together. It was most curious at Trabulgan to 

 observe in the large fields how the English and Irish Hares sat apart, 

 and appeared never to make friends. I regret to say I have lost all my 

 English Hares, as I was most anxious to see whether after a time the 

 two species would cross, and combine the speed of the one with the 

 stoutness and great working power of the other. I have tried to pro- 

 cure some hares from England, but have, unfortunately, failed up to now. 

 I am still most anxious to procure some, as I do not despair of the two 

 species crossing and am anxious to continue to observe how the 

 English and Irish Hares acquit themselves in the coursing field;" 



Co. DONEGAI.. 



The following appeared in Land and Water of March 4, 1893, over the 

 signature of " Highlander " — a well-known contributor of that journal: — 



" Not long since English Hares were turned down in Donegal by Mr. 

 Olphert, of Ballyconnell, and so well have they thrived and increased 

 that I hear other landowners are likely to follow his example. It seems, 

 however, that English Hares are only suitable to certain parts of 

 Ireland, for when introduced in the neighbourhood of Dingle some 

 years ago, I understand that they were a complete failure." 



Mr. John Olphert has, however, very kindly informed me, in a letter 

 dated November 5th, 1895, that he has not introduced any English Hares 

 at Ballyconnell, though he has been wishing very much to get some 

 hares to turn out here of any kind. 



Co. Down. 



"The late David Kerr, Esq., upwards of thirty years ago had 

 some hares brought from England, and turned out on the largest oi 

 the three Copeland Islands, off the coast of Down, where, however, they_ 

 did not much increase, and long since became extinct ? " (Thompson, 

 Nat. Hist, of Ireland, vol. iv., footnote to p. 19). 



Co, Fermanagh. 

 I am indebted to Sir Douglas Brooke, of Colebrooke, Co. Fermanagh, 

 for some interesting particulars of an introduction of Brown Hares at 

 Cleeuish Island, in I^ough Erne. This island belongs to Captain CoUum, 

 and there are on it both Irish and English Hares. Sir Douglas Brooke 

 wrote me that the latter had taken up a separate corner of the island to 

 themselves {lit. of 20th March, 1891). Captain CoUum {in lit, of nth April, 

 1891) very kindly informed me that he had no experience of Scotch 

 hares, but that the English hares which he "imported usually kept 

 distinct and separate in droves, but there is no doubt but in some 

 instances there was a cross {sic). The Blue mountain hares made a 

 good cross with ours." I do not understand what Captain Collum 

 means by the " Blue mountain hares," but perhaps he means hares from 

 the Irish mountains— certainly he distinctly states that no Scotch hares 

 were introduced. I have no very recent information about these hares, 



