1913. Notes. 63 
Woodcock Carrying Young. 
While walking through a wood near Old Conna, in the Co. Dublin, on 
the 8th May, 1909, I flushed a Woodcock whicli flew into a gorsc bush 
about 20 yards oft. Immediately afterwards I saw three young Wood- 
cocks, about as big as Robins, on the ground where the old bird had been. 
Almost at once she flew back, picked up one young one and carried it about 
15 yards to a gorse bush, into which she disappeared. The two other 
young birds ran away, and took refuge in another bush. I remained 
on the ground for some time, but saw no more of the birds. As far as I 
could see, the old bird carried the young one close to her body, her legs 
and feet being placed under the Uttle bird as a support, in fact "she 
clasped it to her bosom." As there is a good deal of controversy as to how 
Woodcocks carry their young, I have been asked to send this account to 
the Irish Katuvalist. 
George C. May. 
Dublin. 
Whooper Swans in County Down. 
I witnessed the arrival of five Whooper Swans, Cygnus musi'cus, on a 
lake here during the afternoon of ist December, 191 2. They were im- 
mediately mobbed by the resident Mute Swans, C. olor, and chased about 
the lake, about half of which on this day was covered with ice. After 
dark I still heard the calls of these Swans on the lake, but next day the 
birds had departed. This is the same lake referred to in Thompson's 
" Natural History of Ireland " (vol. iii., p. 20) where four " Wild Swans " 
remained for three weeks in TS45. 
Nevin H. Foster. 
Hillsborough, Co. Down. 
Grey-lag Goose in Wexford. 
On the iith December, 1912, I was in Wexford town, and saw three 
or four Grey-lag Geese hanging up in the shops. I have never seen this 
species in Wexford before, the bird usually shot being the White-fronted, 
Wild Geese seem to be increasing in numbers in this county. We used 
to have them only in hard winters, but now some of them are liere every 
year. 
G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton. 
Kilmanock. Co. Wexford. 
Daubenton's Bat in County Waterford. 
It may be well to place on record that there is a colony c»f tle.se Lats 
at Cappagh. Co. Waterford. Mr. R. J. Ussher very kindly sent me a 
specimen some time ago, and 1 think he has also sent some to thcNaticral 
Musenm, Dublin. 
G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton. 
Kilmanock, Co. Wexford. 
