68 The Irish Naturalist. 



a very small variety— smaller than anything I have seen outside the 

 Channel Isles. This small variety figures on our lists as var. Everelti 

 (has this priority of var. minor, Moq. ?), and it is interesting to find that 

 Jeffreys specially quotes the Giant's Causeway as a locality for this variety. 

 Carychium of course was in evidence, and several Hyalinitz, the most 

 noteworthy being H. radiatula. — Brockton Tomein, LlandafF. 



AMPHIBIANS. 



Introduction of the Common Toad Into Ireland.— Some ten 



years ago about twenty live Toads were turned down here, but although, 

 for a short time, one or two were to be found about the garden, it was 

 only for a very short time, and none have now been met with for years. 

 This note has been suggested by Dr. Scharffs assertion (in his paper on 

 the Frog in Ireland) that " artificial introduction almost invariably fails." 

 {Irish Naturalist^ 1893, p. 3). Might I point out that the Caves of Bally- 

 namintra are in the Co. Waterford, and not, as stated in Dr. Scharff's 

 paper, in the Co. Wexford ?— G. E. H. Barrett-HamieTON, New Ross. 



BIRDS. 



Our Autumn and Winter Migrants.— Rev. R. M. Miller sends us 

 a popularly- written article on the above subject, which he recently 

 (January 7 24th) contributed to the pages of the Clonmel Chronicle. 



The Magpie (Pica rustica) in Ireland.— I have been much in- 

 terested in Mr. W. F. De V. Kane's notes on the former scarcity of the 

 Magpie in Ireland (/. N, 1893, pp. 96 and 113), as they add slightly to the 

 notes I have collected on the subject. Mr. Kane will find a paper on 

 "The Introduction of the Magpie into Ireland " in the Zoologist (July, 

 1891, pp. 247-9).— G. E. H. Barrett- Hamilton, New Ross. 



Jays (Garrulus glandarius). — As I am in want of a few Jays (both 

 English and Irish) for purposes of comparison, might I ask readers of 

 the Irish Naturalist who live in parts of the country where Jays are 

 plentiful to kindly send me one or two specimens, the receipt of which 

 will be at once acknowledged.— G. E. H. Barrett- HamieTon, Kilman- 

 nock, New Ross. 



Green Sandpiper (Totanus ochropus) in Co. TIpperary. — 



On January nth I received two birds for identification from Lough 

 Derg. One was a Dunlin ( Tringa alpina) ; the other an adult female Green 

 Sandpiper, being the first I have seen in the flesh. Its stomach contained 

 fresh-water snails and shells.— Robert Patterson, Belfast. 



Little Auk (Mergulus alle) in Co. Sligo.— On the 27th Decem- 

 ber, 1893, I received a fresh specimen of the Little Auk. It was 

 found alive inland about four miles from the sea, but died shortly after. 

 Another specimen was shot on Lough Gill on the 29th of December, and 

 came into the possession of Owen Wynne, Esq., Hazelwood, Sligo. — R. 

 M'Ceean, Sligo. 



MAMMALS. 



The Rabbit on the Irish Isles.— Iu answer to Dr. ScharfFs query 

 {Irish Nat., 1893, p. 277), I may state that the Rabbit is found both on the 

 Saltee and Keragh Islands, off the Wexford coast In a letter dated 

 September 18, 1889, Mr. M. J. Kennedy, then light-keeper at Inishtra- 

 hull, Co. Donegal, stated that the Rabbit was " the only animal that 

 thrives well" on that island.— G. E H. BarreTT-Hamieton, New Ross 



Badger (Meles taxus) in Co. Tyrone— "J. A.B." records in Land 

 and Water for January 13th the capture of a fine dog Badger, at Beltrim, 

 Co. Tyrone, and remarks that this animal is very rare in the county, only 

 four captures having been recorded in the last five years. 



