1896.] JVofesp 29^ 



SPIDERS. 

 Spider carrying Snall-shcII.— On the warren near the sea here, 

 one day several 3'ears ago, an object attracted my attention : some- 

 thing white moving along rather quickly. I^ooking closely I found that 

 the object was a small bleached snail-shell (^Helix virgaid) which a large 

 spider was carrying along underneath its body ; supporting it by means 

 of some of its fore-legs at one side, and hind legs at the other as it 

 went. For the purpose of closer examination I deprived it of its burden, 

 and found that the shell was packed with what appeared to be spiders' 

 eggs. On placing the shell on the ground again near the spider, it took 

 it up and walked off as before ; going at good speed considering the 

 weight of its burden and the limited number of legs at its disposal for 

 walking purposes. That some kinds of spiders carry their eggs about 

 enclosed in soft silky cocoons is a well-known fact, but I have never 

 heard of a shell being so used before. 



Frances Sarah O'Connor, Ballycastle, Antrim. 



BIRDS. 



Birds of Conncmara.— As I do not see the Irish Naturalist regularly, 

 Mr. Palmer's note in the March number referring to my article on the 

 Birds of Connemara in the January number was not read by me until 

 a little while ago, when my attention was drawn to it. I must therefore 

 apologise to Mr. Palmer for not having answered his questions before. 

 With regard to Mr. Palmer's first point, viz. : — whether it was the 

 Dunlin or the Ringed Plover which I saw on the islands of Lough 

 Corrib, I may say that I am perfectly satisfied that the birds were Dunlin 

 {Tringa alpina), I quote my diary :—" May 20, 1895. Saw a number of 

 Dunlin and noticed that they sang really nicely. Very short, but some- 

 what like a lark." I don't remember seeing the Ringed Plover, and have 

 no note of it, but I certainly could not have confounded the two birds 

 as I know both of them perfectly ; moreover they are not easily con- 

 founded. 



With regard to the Black Guillemots nesting amongst the boulders, I 

 felt sure at the time that this was the case, and I now find that several 

 authorities mention it as a fact. 



Mr. Palmer's third point refers to the nesting habits of the Oyster- 

 catcher. Of course it is well known that Oyster-catchers will nest on 

 turf and rock where no shingle can be found, but I have never before 

 seen the eggs in such a position when there was plenty of shingle avail- 

 able. Mr. Palmer's suggestion as to the cause of this peculiar habit is 

 interesting, and is, perhaps, the correct solution. He says that " West 

 of Ireland Oyster-catchers may have found that it is not always safe to 

 nest on the shingle within possible reach of an unusually high Atlantic 

 wave." 



Harry F. WiTherby, Blackheath, Kent. 



Quail In Co. Down.— A correspondent of the i^j!V/a?(Sept. 8th) records 

 he nesting of the Quail at Seaford, co. Down. 



