132 The hish Naiuralistx June 



ANSERES. 



Anser alblfronSf Scop. White-fronted Goose. — Observed a 

 large flock near Smerwick Harbour on December 29th. Mr, King 

 informs me that this species of goose is plentiful in winter. 



Bern Ida brenta, Pall. Brent Goose. — Observed two flocks in 

 Smerwick Harbour on December 29tli. (The Brent Goose abounds 

 in Tralee Bay, at the root of the peninsula. — (Ussher). 



Tadorna cornuta, Gmel. Shei^d-duck. — Observed a small flock on 

 the sand-flats of Inch, close to Dingle Bay. (August 17th.) 



Mareca penelope, Linn. Wigeon. — Observed flocks in the estuaries 

 of Smerwick and Dingle in the winter. Tlie peasants inform me that 

 this duck is common all round the peninsula from October to March. 



COLUIYIB^E. 



Columba palumbus, Linn. Ring Dove.— Observed a few near 

 Dingle, but at the westerly end of the peninsula the species seemed 

 to be absent. 



C. Ilvia, Gmel. Rock Dove.— Abundant, especially about Sybil 

 Head. On the 21st August I obtained an adult male, in which the 

 white patch over the tail was absent, its colour being taken by 

 the bluish slate of the back. Tame "Blue Rocks" often exhibit 

 this variation of plumage, but in as much as there were no dove- 

 cots for miles around the neighbourhood, it is unlikely that the 

 specimen I secured was ever domesticated. It was shot in my 

 presence by a farmer in a field at Dunmore Head, a few yards from 

 the edge of the cliffs. 



LIIVIICOL^. 



Aegrlalltis hlatlcula, Linn. Ringed Pi^over.— Plentiful about the 

 low-lying coasts of the peninsula. Much more numerous in the 

 winter, when I observed it also in small numbers about the rocks of 

 Dnnmore and Sybil. 



Charadrlus pluvlalls^ Linn. G01.DEN Pi^over.— Plentiful in the 

 winter overthe mountains andmud-flats. In December I have watched 

 hundreds of them resting in the fields, chiefly in the middle of the 

 day. They were particularly numerous if there was a full noon tide. 

 They allowed me to drive past them within fifty yards, nor did they 

 always take to the wing when I drew up in front of them. A field 

 or two thickly peppered with Golden Plover standing at ease is a 

 very impressive sight. As a rule, one comes suddenly on large flocks 

 of them at a time -when, perhaps, there is rather an absence of other 

 bird life in the immediate neighbourhood. In August I failed to 

 observe the Golden Plover, although I expect it breeds about the 

 Dingle mountains. 



Vanellus vulgaris, Beclist. Lapwing.— Plentiful in summer and 

 winter. My friend Mr. King cites an interesting account of an 

 attack between two Lapwings and two Peregrines, resulting in the 

 sacrifice of life of a parent in defence of its young or eggs. A male 

 Peregrine visited a ^small moor in which a pair of Lapwings were 

 breeding. The latter descrying their enemy some distance off", flew 



