14 



The Irish Nafurah'sf. 



Sunfish at Larne Harbour. 



January, 



It may interest readers of the Irish Naturalist to know of the capture 

 of a Sunfish, Orthagorisciis mola Schn. off Larne Harbour on September 

 17th. It weighs just over two cwts. and was exhibited in the shop of 

 Messrs. Kangecroft, Ltd., Corn Market. 



J. A. Sidney Stendall. 



Belfast. 



Stray Bird Notes, Autumn, 1917. 



My experiences coincide very much with those of Mr. C. B. Moffat 

 and Mr. Burkitt. First as to the arrival of the migrants. My earliest 

 date is Swallow, April 23, followed by Chiff-chaff, April 23, and Willow 

 Warbler, April 26, Sand Martin, April 30. These were the only migrants 

 noted in April, but the Cuckoo and Corncrake were both observed on 

 May I. The Wheatear, which generaly arrives here about the end of 

 March, I could not find at its usual haunt, and only observed one on 

 September 27 ! The Spotted Flycatcher was only seen by me on June 

 II, whilst our rarer visitors, the Grasshopper Warbler, the Quail and the 

 Turtle Dove were not observed at all. I spent July and August in 

 England, and in the first week of July at Stoke Ash near Ipswich, in the 

 small lawn at the Pai'sonage I observed the Blackcap, the Garden Warbler, 

 Chiff-chaff, Willow Warbler, Whitethroat, the Tree Pipit and the Turtle 

 Dove, but not until August 11 did I, for the first time in the year, note 

 the Gold-crest. 



Some of the folk names of the birds in Fngland are very curious, such 

 as the " Groundoven " for the Willow Warbler, and the " Hayjack " 

 for the Linnet. The " Thricecock " Mr. Warde Parke thinks may mean 

 the " Mistle Thrush," but I have never yet met anyone who could explain 

 the meaning of the " Swiney," by which porcine appellation the Meadow 

 Pipit is always known in Balbriggan. 



Charles W. Benson. 



Balbriggan, October 10. 



Green Sandpiper in King's County. 



It may be of interest to you to know that I identified a Green Sandpiper, 

 Totaniis ochropns, adult, sex unknown, seen on the wing on Ballyheishall 

 bog, near lulentlerry, King's County, on November 15th, 1017- I hope 

 to meet with it again later in the year. 1 have not hitherto seen any 

 of these birds in this loralitv. 



Hei-PN M. Rajt K6RR- 



Fiathmoyle, Fdenderry 



