82 The Irish NaUiralist. [ivlarcii, 1900. 



Pled Wagtails Roost! n^r among^ Reeds. 



On the evening of the 29th November last, about twenty minutes after 

 sunset, I was passing a reedy pool not far from Bray, when I was struck 

 with a continuous rustling among the sedges, from which at first I 

 imagined thatsome ratherlarge animal was threadinghiswayamongthem. 

 After watching for several minutes, I found that the sounds proceeded 

 from a number of small dark objects which were moving in titmouse- 

 like fashion on the tops of the faded herbage ; these proved to be Pied 

 Wagtails, of which I think fully 150 were congregated in the place. 

 While I watched, small companies of from two to six birds occasionally 

 arrived, and dropped down into the sedge-bed ; and on a subsequent 

 evening (December 4) I saw flocks of fifteen and twenty-three arrive and 

 descend in similar fashion. I believe that this assembling for the night 

 and roosting in reed-beds is a habit of the Pied Wagtail, for I have more 

 than once (in winter) disturbed large numbers of these birds after dusk 

 among the reeds by the Roj'al Canal ; but I had never before been able to 

 watch them in the act of collecting and settling themselves for the night. 

 Before going to sleep they exercise themselves clambering about on the 

 tops of the sedges, and this, on still evenings, makes noise enough to 

 attract attention to their presence. 



Ballyhyland, Co. Wexford. C. B. MoFFaT. 



MAMMALS. 



The Hooded Seal reported from Qalway Bay. 



In the summer of 1898, I chanced to see a fine specimen of this poly- 

 gamous and pugnacious seal {Cystophora cristaid) while it was leaving the 

 shore and making out to sea. A man, who was gathering seaweed, 

 disturbed it while it was basking on shore. He was evidently quite as 

 much frightened at it as it was of him. The inflated hood gave the 

 animal's head quite a human appearance. On seeing it, I proceeded 

 with all possible haste to the spot. By the time I reached the edge of 

 the water it was fully fifteeen yards from the shore. I had an admirable 

 view of it. While swimming away to sea, it kept one eye steadily fixed 

 on the shore and on its infruders. The man, who disturbed it, was awe- 

 stricken, and addressing me said — what is it ? I informed him that it 

 was a seal. As he seemed incredulous, I explained that it was not a 

 common seal ; that it was a rare visitor to the Irish coast. As this man 

 is a frequent visitor to the sea-shore, and has often seen the Common 

 Seal {Phoca vitulind), his not having previously seen this sort is testimony 

 that the Hooded Seal is a rare visitor to Galway Bay. Though I have 

 been on the look out for it, and have since seen many seals, I have not 

 again seen the Hooded Seal. 



Galway. R- M. G11.MORE. 



[The only Irish record of this seal appears to be an early doubtful one 

 from Westport (Thompson, "Nat. Hist. Irel.," vol. iv.). We hope that 

 Mr, Gilmore's further observations may confirm his opinion that this 

 species is indeed a visitor to our shores.— EdS-J 



