I902. Patten. — List of Birds west of Dhtgle, Co. Kerry. 131 



when suddenly the swallow took a sharp swerve to the right and 

 then shot obliquely upwards. This movement was too much for 

 the falcon, and the latter lost so much " ground " that he abandoned 

 the chase in disgust, rising in a circling manner far up into the air 

 until he appeared a mere speck in the sky. As a rule, Peregrines do 

 not follow such small birds. (See under Lnpwing, p. 132.) 



Perhaps this particular one meeting the poor little Swallow, 

 isolated from its companions on the lonely waste, considered that 

 this was a good opportunity to whip up the defenceless bird in its 

 claws and to carry it off. 



I have seen a small male Peregrine seize a Jackdaw in the air, and 

 bear it away as if it were no weight whatsoever. My friend, Mr. 

 King, lost several large, half-grown chickens through the ravages 

 of the Peregrine. He shot a female just as it struck a fowl the size 

 of a grouse. He describes the wound that the victim received from 

 the blow of the Falcon's talons as being a terrible one. "The 

 chicken was actually split open from sternum to tail, and was 

 partially eviscerated. It died in a few minutes." 



" Dr. Kane has frequently seen the Peregrine follow a sportsman 

 during the day on the Dingle peninsula, and take away game just 

 shot or wounded." — {Ussher'). 



F. eesalon, Tunst. Meri^in. — Observed several, chiefly on the un- 

 reclaimed moorlands west of Dingle. Of eight Merlins noted in the 

 month of August, only one appeared to be an adult male, with a 

 bluish, slate-coloured back. This last bird was perched on a leafless 

 weather-beaten tree-stump when I came suddenly upon it, I 

 watched it from behind a rock for several minutes. It was 

 standing on one leg, with its feathers loosely puff"ed out, and its 

 head sunk between its shoulders. When I appeared from behind 

 the rock it took flight. I have shot the Merlin on the Greater 

 Blasket Island, west of the Dingle peninsula. 



F. tinnunculus, Ivinn. KKSTREiy. — Observed a Kestrel, or two, 

 almost every day in the month of August. I only saw two in the 

 winter (Dec, 29th), near Ballyferriter. 



STECANOPODES. 



Phalacrocorax carbo, Linn. Cormorant.— Common round the 

 coast of the peninsula. 



P. erraculus, Linn. Shag. — Appeared more numerous than the pre* 

 ceding species. 



Sula bassana, Linn, Gannkt. — Observed several fishing around 

 the coast of the peninsula ; many being in the dark, immature 

 plumage. Some of the inhabitants informed me that they capture 

 the Gannet and cook it. They consider it an excellent dish. 



HERODIONES. 

 Ardea ctnei*ea, Linn. Heron.— Plentifully distributed ovef the 

 peninsula. There is a small heronry on the cliff's of Sybil Head. 

 The majority of the birds observes in August were immature. 



