1896.] WarrKN. — The Gulls of Killala Bay, 173 



many little loughs and pools scattered all over it. Many of 

 these loughs had little islets, or rather clumps of turf covered 

 with heath and coarse grass. On reaching the first of the 

 loughs, we observed a gull resting on a clump in the middle, 

 but seeing only a solitary bird that flew off at our approach, 

 we had no idea of a nest being there. 



Dr. Darling and I went on ahead ; James Darling remaining 

 to take another look round, and wading out to the clump of 

 turf, found a nest of dried grass on it containing three eggs. 

 This " find" was most encouraging, for not seeing any gulls 

 about except the solitary one on the clump, we were beginning 

 to fear that our journey would have proved in vain. We then 

 walked on to a group of loughs a quarter of a mile further on, 

 and there we saw two gulls resting on clumps, and in a few 

 minutes we had three pairs of the Common Gull circling 

 round us and screaming, plainly indicating by their anxiety, 

 that at least three nests must be somewhere about the islets 

 on the loughs ; but unfortunately for us, owing to the great 

 depth of the soft black mud on the bottom of these loughs, it 

 was quite impossible to wade out to the islands and search for 

 the nests. While walking round the lough, vainly seeking 

 for a passage to the islet, we disturbed a pair of Dunlins, but 

 were unable to find their nest. 



Although so far fortunate in finding a breeding-haunt of 

 the Common Gull, yet we had not found the particular lough 

 reported to me, and of which we had come in search. We 

 again questioned the boy, but he knew of no other loughs, nor 

 of one where the gulls built their nests on the tree stumps of 

 an old submerged forest, as had been described to me. So 

 finding the boy of no further use as a guide, we decided on 

 o-oing in different directions over the bog, and, while time 

 allowed, persevering in our search for the missing I^ough-na- 

 Crumpawn, "the lake of the stumps." Dr. Darling and I then 

 proceeded to examine some pools about a quarter of a mile 

 away, while James Darling and the boy went off in the 

 opposite direction to a little ridge, from which they could 

 have a better view over the surrounding bog, and perhaps 

 discover the particular lough of which we were in search. 

 Soon after we heard the boy whistle, and saw James Darling 

 run to meet him ; we afterwards learned that he had just then 

 come on a Dunlin's nest with four eggs. 



