lyo The Irish Naturalist, [July, 



BIRDS. 



Bird Notes from the North of Ireland. 



The followiug uotes of our rarer visitants have not, I think, been 

 recorded before. 



On 8th November, 1895, a male Rough-legged Buzzard {BiUeo lagoptis) 

 was shot at Portaferry, Co. Down. 



A Grey Phalarope {Phalaropus fulicarius) was picked up at Ballymonej^ 

 Co. Antrim, in October, 1896. 



A male Hawfinch {Coccothmustes vulgaris) was shot at Hillsborough, Co. 

 Down, on 30th December, 1897. 



On 2ist September, 1897, a Hoopoe {Upiipa epops) was destroyed near 

 Lurgan, Co. Armagh, and two days previouslj- an immature male Marsh- 

 Harrier {Circus cEruginosus) was shot at Cullybackey, Co. Antrim. It would 

 appear that any uncommon bird has a poor chance of surviving its visit 

 to the over-populated " Black North." 



Robert Patterson. 



Belfast. 



The Protection of Wild Birds. 



We learn from the Times of June 6th that a somewhat novel applica- 

 tion under the Wild Birds Act is pending for determination by Judge 

 Adams and the County Limerick magistrates. Some time since com- 

 plaint was made at the meeting of the Limerick Fishery Conservators' 

 Board of the damage done to the salmon spawning beds of the Shannon 

 by Mergansers, a species of wild duck, which preyed on the young fish. 

 It was agreed to provide the bailiffs temporarily with guns and shot for 

 the destruction of the birds in the close season, but the order was not 

 adhered to. To-day Judge Adams was applied to to permit the shooting 

 of Mergansers during the close season, and also of seagulls from March 

 to August each, or during all the close season for wild birds. Judge 

 Adams was asked under the ninth section of the Act to allow a petition 

 to the Lord Lieutenant for the exemption of Mergansers and seagulls 

 from the operation of the statute for the protection of wild birds, but 

 having consulted the stipendiary, Mr. Hickson, he was against the 

 destruction of any wild birds in the close season. It was finally decided 

 to direct the Clerk of the Crown to summon a meeting of the county 

 magistrates on Tuesday, when evidence will be heard and a vote taken 

 as to whether the Lord Lieutenant will be petitioned to allow the 

 slaughter of the birds which Mr. Anthony Mackey, lessee of eel weirs at 

 Castleconnell, says are destroying the eel fry. The result of the applica- 

 tion is giving rise to much interest, and, should the magistrates decide 

 on acceding to the application, the action to be taken by the Lord 

 Lieutenant will be a matter for much speculation. The district pro- 

 posed to be exempted is from the city of Limerick to Killaloe on the 

 Upper Shannon. 



