IS6 The Irish Naturalist. 



The breeding ducks are the Mallard (Anas boseas, L,.), Teal 

 Oucrqucdula crecca, L-)> Common Sheldrake (Tadoma cormtta, 

 G. S. Gmel.), and Shoveller (Spatula clypeata, L,.) The 

 Shoveller is called here the " Spoonbill Wigeon " or " White- 

 side." It is a constant breeder on the sloblands although, I 

 believe, in decreasing numbers. The herd boys are, no doubt, 

 responsible for the destruction of many eggs. The nest is 

 made on the bare slobland, and is placed in the centre of a 

 slight tuft of grass, or rather on a spot where the grass has 

 grown a little more thickly than usual. There is little or no 

 cover in the ordinary sense of the word to be seen on the 

 ground, and I have known a nest to be made on such a bare 

 ridge that one could not see what there was to cover the back 

 of the brooding duck. The bird scrapes out the ground 

 sufficiently to make a shallow saucer-like hollow. This is 

 lined with dry grass and old grass-stems and a plentiful supply 

 of down. In the spring of 1889 and 1890 I saw a few nests 

 from which the old bird had evidently been driven away 

 before lajdng. The usual number of eggs is nine to twelve, 

 and there is sometimes a slight variation in size and shape. 

 It is astonishing how the Shoveller's nests escape being 

 trampled upon by the grazing cattle as the} 7 walk up and 

 down the ridges. 



Close by the slobland the Waterhen (Gallinula chloropus, 

 L,.) and Coot (Fuliea alra, L.) breed in great numbers in the 

 rushes and sedges which cover the water here and there. 

 Many years ago the Water Rail (Rallus aquatiais, Iy.) bred, 

 but I have not heard of a nest having been found recently. 



Some little distance from the marsh lands the shores are 

 barer and more sandy, and here we find the Ringed Plover 

 (/EgiaUics hiaticula, L.) during the spring. I have often 

 heard the little Plovers calling around, and yet the grey 

 plumage of their backs blended so perfectly with the wet 

 sand and shore that it was almost impossible to spot the 

 birds at any distance. There is much suitable ground for 

 their breeding, but the)- seem to confine their nesting to a 

 low flat sand-bank called the Farland bed. This bank is 

 some 200 yards long by about 100 broad, and is covered in the 

 centre with coarse grass and a few scrubby brambles. It is 

 surrounded on all sides by fresh water. The Ringed Plover 

 do not nest on the sand and shingle alone, A number lay 



