1900] Notes. 4g 



BIRDS. 



Irish Ornithology. 



The Zoologist for November contains an article by Mr. H. E. Howard, 

 entitled " Ornithological Notes from the North-west of Ireland," de- 

 scribing the bird-life as noted by the author in August, presumabl}' on 

 the coast of Donegal. The paper closes with a commendable protest 

 against the unsportmanlike slaughter of sea-birds by so-called " sports- 

 men.' 



Golden Plover and Lapwings in the lYIoy Estuary. 



The Golden Plover did not visit the sands in any numbers until the 

 middle, and towards the end of October, after which time they began to 

 increase up to the 24th, when I saw fully 2,000 birds in one large stand 

 on the Scurmore sands, and since then they continued to haunt the 

 banks in probably larger numbers, for they now (2nd Dec.) have divided 

 into two stands, one haunting the margin, and the other the Scurmore 

 sands. 



The Lapwings appeared about the banks in their average numbers up 

 to the 20th of November, when they visited the sands in immense flocks 

 more numerous than in^au}- 3'ear since 1878 (the " Great Lapwing Year.") 



On the morning of the 20th, at daybreak, Mr. A C. Kirkwood, at 

 Bartragh, saw an immense flock at a great height coming from a 

 northerly direction over the bay. On reaching the island, they kept 

 flying about for nearly an hour, and then settled down on the Bartragh 

 sands opposite Moyne Abbey ; at the same time that this large assembly 

 of birds was resting near INIoyne, equally large flocks were further up 

 the estuary on the Scurmore and Castleconna sands, and a fourth 

 large flock was resting on the banks outside the island. Most of these 

 birds were evidently new arrivals distrusting their new quarters, and so 

 restless and easily alarmed, that it was impossible to get within shot of 

 any of the large stands. Mr. Kirkwood was out with his punt and gun 

 all day, and was unable to get within range of any, but a few scattered 

 birds. I was out all day on the 21st, and was equally unsuccessful. 

 I never met Lapwing so wild, so utterly unlike their usual unsuspicious 

 habits on the approach of a shooting punt. I was out again on the 22nd, 

 and although the birds actually swarmed on the Moyne, Bartragh, 

 Scurmore, and Castleconna sands, yet I was unable to obtain a shot at 

 any but a few scattered birds. 



It is impossible to account for thisextreme wildness of the Lapwings » 

 the fine weather cannot be the cause, for some of ni}^ best days' Plover 

 shooting on the estuary were on mild, calm days, when owing to the 

 mildness of the weather, the birds used to assemble on the sands at the 

 edge of the channels to wash and bathe, and remain until driven off by 

 the rising tide. 



It would be interesting to know whether a similar influx of Golden 



Plover and Lapwings has taken place in other parts of the country. 



RoBKRT Warren. 

 Moyview, Ballina. 



