I900-] Notes. 



109 



a correct description of the fish, which proves to be the Fox Shark 



{Alopias viilpcs). It was about 13^ feet long, and the elongated portion of 



the tail fin was nearly as long as its body, which I think proves it to have 



been the Fox Shark. 



R. Warrkn. 

 Moyview, Ballina. 



BIRDS. 



Snow-Coosc in Ireland. 



In the List of Irish Birds by the late Mr. A. G. More, he stated : — 

 Mr. H, Blake Knox informs me that about ist October, 1S86, he received 

 a fine male Snow-Goose, which had been shot by one of his tenants, near 

 BelmuUet, Mayo. 



I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Blake Knox for the loan of this 

 specimen, which I sent for inspection to Dr. R. B. Sharpe, at the 

 Natural History Museum, South Kensington. It was exhibited by him 

 at the meeting of the British Ornithologists' Club on the 22ud of 

 November, 1899, 'and is considered to be of the larger race named 

 Che?i nivalis, by Forster, 



It should be remembered that Mr. Crampton's Snow-Goose, now in 

 the Science and Art Museum, Dublin, was one of a flock of seven which 

 visited the same part of Mayo, in October, 1877, and that other 

 specimens were obtained in Wexford, early in November, 1871 ; while 

 two birds were procured for the aviary at Knowsley, previous to 185 1 

 that were said to have been met with among tame geese running on a green 

 in Ireland. This is not impossible, for Mr. Crampton's bird above- 

 mentioned lived under the same conditions for more than six years after 

 he had been trapped. 



Though birds of this species are believed to have been seen in the 

 North of England, none have been obtained in the United Kingdom 

 except in Ireland. 



R. J. USSHER. 

 Cappagh. 



Sea Birds and Severe Weather. 



Sea birds, as well as land birds, suffer from exposure to cold. On 

 February 17th, 1900, I noticed 'on the North Bull strand, Clontarf (an 

 expanse of about three miles), the following dead birds : — 



Three Oyster-catchers in a fresh condition — very thin, and slightly 

 eaten by rats— and other birds, judging from the surrounding footprints. 



One miserabl)' thin Curlew, half buried in the sand, and only recently 

 deceased. 



Six Black-headed Gulls ; some of these may have been previously 

 wounded by gunshot. 



Four Common Gulls; two of these fresh, but half eaten by rats and 

 birds. 



Five Herring Gulls ; very thin— probably starved. 



One Cormorant, and the fragmentary remains of a freshl3--killed 

 Mallard. 



