t9o4» Notes* 45 



Food of Gillaroo Trout, 



Mr. W. B Fennell in dissecting a | lb. Gillaroo Trout at Lough Melviii 

 found in the stomach a mass of freshwater shells, including 80 specimens 

 of Valvata piscinalis, over a dozen Bythinia tentaculata, several Lvniuxa 

 peregra, with one each of L. siagnalis, P. carinahis and P, contortiis, 



Belfast. R. Wei^ch. 



A Winter Corncrake in Co. Galway. 



While snipe shooting near Kilure bog, Clonbrock, in company with 

 Mr. Dillon, on Wednesday, 25th November, the keeper (Mason) pointed 

 me out a corncrake {Crex pratensis) running in the grass. 



IvEOPOI^D H. CONGREVE. 



Waxwings in Ulster. 



There appears to have been a flight of Waxwings {Ampelis garrulus) to 

 the north of Ireland last year (1903). I have notes of over twenty 

 having been seen or shot. The first was shot in the townland of Bleary, 

 Co. Armagh, on 22ud October. It was reported to Mr. W. H. Workman 

 at the B.N.F.C. Conversazione on October 28. I understand it was sent to 

 Dublin to be mounted. The second was obtained near Loughgall, Co. 

 Armagh, on ist November, and examined by me. On 6th November two 

 beautiful males were shot at Toomebridge, Co. Antrim. For three weeks 

 none were reported, and then, on 29th November, two were sent up from 

 the town of Antrim, with the information that they were " plentiful" in 

 Lord Massereene's demesne, and that the sender could have shot as many 

 as he liked. Fortunately he was content with two. On 2nd December 

 three were seen at Larne, Co. Antrim, and one of them shot, as Mr. 

 Coey kindly informed me. I saw the latter, which was a female. Then 

 on 5th December two were seen (one shot) at Lissue, Co. Antrim. Mr 

 N. H. Foster sent me this one, an immature female. On the same date 

 another female was shot at Aghalee, Co. Antrim. A female was picked 

 up dead at Whitehead, Co. Antrim, on 8th December. (This is the same 

 specimen that Mr. Tomliuson records on p. 46). Two more were shot at 

 Islandmagee, Co. Antrim, on loth December, while five others were seen 

 about the same date near Larne. One of these was captured alive by 

 Mr. Coey and kept in a cage for some days, but it died on 21st Dec- 

 ember and Mr. Coey kindly sent it to me. The last I have a note of is 

 one that Mr. Foster informs me was seen in Hillsborough Demesne, Co. 

 Down, on 6th January, 1904. But I was informed on reliable authority 

 that a flock of over thirty was seen about the middle of December near 

 Glenarm, Co. Antrim. October seems to be a remarkably earl}' date for 

 this northern bird to visit us. Indeed I can find no other Irish record 

 for this month, and only one or two previous occurrences in Nov- 

 ember. The above notes record one in October and five in November, 

 and probably other observers in Ireland will be able to add to these 

 this year, if the flight has been of any magnitude. 



Holywood, Co. Down. Robert Patterson. 



