i6o The Irish Naturalist. [June, 



Hoopoe In Co. Antrim. 



A fine male Hoopoe ( Upupa epops) was shot on April 23rd at Glendun, 

 Co. Autrim, by Sir vSamuel Black's gamekeeper. It had probably only 

 just arrived, as its stomach was quite empty. It was in excellent 

 plumage. 



Robert Patterson. 



Belfast. 



Call of the Spotted Crake. 



On the loth of May, 1900, having been informed by my butler that an 

 unknown bird had been calling for several nights, I follow^ed the sound 

 for about half a mile until w^e located it in a swampy spot that was 

 impassable. It was then about 10 p. m. The note w^as incessantly repeated, 

 like " whuit, whuit, whuit," uttered in a loud, clear tone that reached 

 far and wide in the stillness of the night, and was not interrupted b}' m}' 

 approaching within thirty or forty yards. Since the loth inst. it has 

 only been heard once, so that the bird may have passed aw^ay ; but it 

 should be remembered that the Spotted Crake has bred in Co. Roscommon, 

 where Col. Irwin found the eggs he has presented to the Dublin Museum. 

 As this bird is a summer visitor to England, it should be watched for in 

 sw'ampy places in Ireland now, and as its call-note is so clear and far- 

 reaching there should be no difficulty in recognizing it. The descriptions 

 of this sound given by Mr. Howard Saunders and Mr. Dresser left no 

 doubt on my mind that my conjectures as to what the species was were 

 correct, though I could not see it. 



Richard J. Ussher. 



Cappagh. 



Egyptian Goose In Co. Derry. 



A very perfect specimen of the Egyptian Goose was recently shot near 

 Toomebridge by a farmer who found it feeding among his own geese. 

 Where it came from is not known. It is now stuffed, and in the 

 possession of Mr. Frank Grant, Toomebridge. It measures 21 inches 

 in length, iS in height, with a length of leg about 6 inches. 



This bird is hardly ever found in these climates except in ornamental 

 waters. Many unusual visitors, such as the Stormy Petrel, have also 

 been found iu this neighbourhood, round I,ough Beg. 



M. Fahy. 

 Duueane Rectory, Toome. 



[No authenticated wild specimen of the Egyptian Goose has occurred 

 in these islands, and there can be little doubt that the bird recorded by 

 Mr. I'ahy had escaped from confinement. — Eds.] 



