220 The Irish Naturalist. [September, 



A VISIT TO LOUGH ERNE IN SEARCH OF THE 



SANDWICH TERN. 



BY ROBERT WARREN. 



My friend, Mr. R. J. Ussher, having heard from Mr. C. 

 Langham, of Tempo Manor, that he had received from I^ough 

 Erne four 3'onng Sandwich Terns for his collection of live 

 birds, requested me to visit Lough Erne and verify the dis- 

 covery, as he was anxious to be certain of the terns breeding 

 there, because up to that time only one breeding-haunt in 

 Ireland was known to us, that of Rathroueen Lough near 

 Ballina, Co. Mayo. However, from Mr. Langham's description 

 of the birds, and his acquaintance with the species, from 

 previousl}- having shot specimens in Donegal Ba}-, I had no 

 doubt of his correctlj^ naming the birds sent him. 



Intending to make Enniskillen ni}- headquarters for ex- 

 ploring the lake, I left Ballina on the 9th July by the 1.45 

 limited mail train, and on reaching Claremorris Station, 

 changed into the Waterford and Limerick train for Ball}"- 

 sodare, hoping to meet at that vStation the Sligo and Leitrim 

 train for Enniskillen but, unfortunately, just as otir train was 

 nearingtlie station, the one for Enniskillen was steaming out. 

 So I had to go on to Sligo for the night. I left next morning 

 by 6 a.m. train for Enniskillen, arriving there at 8.30, and 

 after breakfast left by the Dundalk 9.30 train for Lisbellaw, 

 where Mr. Langham very kindl)^ had a car waiting to take me 

 on to Tempo Manor, which. I reached after a pleasant drive of 

 five miles through a prett}' and thriving-looking district. 



Tempo Manor is the ideal home of a naturalist, a picturesque, 

 handsome residence in a fine demesne, planted with fine old 

 timber, with a beautiful little lake surrounded by trees and 

 shrubs at the foot of the lawn. The lake is well-stocked with 

 wild fowl of various kinds : Grej^-lag, Bean, Whitefronted, 

 Barnicle, Canada, and Eg3'ptian Geese, while the ducks are 

 well represented by Sheldrakes, Wild Ducks, Wigeon, Teal, 

 Gargarry, Shovellers, Tufted Ducks, and American Summer 

 Ducks. Lesser Blackbacked Gulls, Herring, and Blackheaded 

 Gulls were in a separate enclosure from the ducks, along with 

 a pair of Green Cormorants. 



