Notes. 115 



E.L.S. (with whom we have corresponded on the subject), tells us he has 

 never heard of stridulation in these insects. He writes : — 



" I cannot see what organs could be intended as the appendages ' like 

 smaller legs,' I can only imagine that the coxae must be meant, possibly, 

 in a state of excitement, the legs might move rapidly and the coxse 

 show themselves unusually plainly, while all the time the stridulating 

 noise might proceed from other organs altogether, no clapping together 

 of the coxae could produce a sound like a grasshopper's chirp as far as I 

 can see — though the twittering mentioned might be due to such 

 action." — Eds.] 



AMPHIBIANS. 



Frogs In the Mourne Mountains.— On Easter Monday, March 

 26th, while standing on the shores of Lough Bingian, a small lake 

 situated in the heart of the Mourne Mountains, at an elevation of 1,350 

 feet, my attention was arrested by a curious, soft, purring sound, appar- 

 ently proceeding from the upper end of the lake, about one hundred 

 yards distant. On investigation I found this noise to proceed from an 

 immense gathering of frogs, which were splashing about in the shallow 

 water, and surrounded by large quantities of spawn. Every moment a 

 number of frogs would raise their heads above the level of the water, 

 and give vent to this croaking, which, however, resembled nothing so 

 much as the purring of a cat. I endeavoured to form some estimate as 

 to the number of frogs, and came to the conclusion that there must have 

 been between 500 and 1,000. I may mention that the hour was about 

 1.30 in the afternoon, and the sun very bright and warm. — W. H. P. 

 Patterson, Strandtown, Co. Down. 



BIRDS. 



Spring Migrants.— While walking along Bush Bay, near Giant's 

 Causeway, on 27th March, I observed three Sand-Martins (two females 

 and one male) flying backwards and forwards over the sand-dunes in the 

 vicinity, as if they had just arrived. I had been on the look-out the 

 previous day, but observed none. This locality is well suited for early 

 arrivals on account of the heat arising from the sand, and the number 

 of insects to feed on.— A. J. Coeeins, Belfast. 



I heard the Chiff-chaff in Narrow- water Demesne, Co. Down, on March 

 24th. Mr. Robert Patterson writes me that he heard it at Belfast on 

 March 25th. I heard the Corncrake at Cultra, Co. Down, on March 

 27th.— R. Leoyd Praeger. 



It maybe of interest that a Swallow was seen in Ormeau Park, Belfast, 

 on April 5th. It did not stay here, but (as our earliest swallows seem to 

 do) disappeared on the same day. — J. STEEFOX, Belfast. 



On Easter Sunday, 25th March, we saw about twelve House Martins 

 flying along the Muckross shore of the Lower Lake, Killarney, and we 

 were informed by our boatman that he had observed them there on the 

 previous Tuesday, 20th March, and that he had never seen them at 

 Killarney in other years before the first week in April. Mr. A. G. More 

 informs us that this is exceptionally early. On 23rd March, near New- 

 castle, Co. Wicklow, we heard the Chiff-chaff. The Corncrake was 

 heard on the evening of the 17th of April at Glenageary, Co. Dublin, and 

 subsequent evenings.— R. W. Scueey and H. J. SVNOTT, Dublin. 



E. W. writes to the Irish Times of April 12th, that Swallows have been 

 seen in the neighbourhood of Leixlip several times during the preceding 

 few days. 



H. Richardson writing to the Irish Times on April 7th, says that Sand- 

 Martins have arrived at Sletty, Queen's County. 



T. J. D. writes to Land and Water for March 17th, that on March 8th a 

 Cuckoo was seen in the neighbourhood of Waterville. The bird was 

 observed by a number of persons. 



