N'o/cs. 20 1 



Our Summer lYIIg-rants. -Rev. R. 'SI. .Milk-r kindly sends us a 

 copy of an interestins^^ and popular article, on our summer mi<(rants, 

 which he contributed to the Clonniel Chronicle for May 20th. vSuch attrac- 

 tive expositions of natural history should do good work, by increasing 

 the number of those who know something of the feathered denizens of 

 our woods and hedgerows, and therefore find pleasure in observing and 

 protecting them. 



Spring Migrants at Londonderry.— The very fine spring 

 brought man}' of the migrants some days earlier than their usual dates. 

 The earliest to reach us was the Chiffchaff, which was first heard on 

 26th March. Then the Willow-Wren appeared on 3rd April. The first 

 Swallow WdS seen here on 5tli April, although I did not notice them in 

 any numbers until some ten days later. A few Sandmartins arrived on 

 4th April, and I noticed them in great numbers on the 6th, at one locality. 

 The Wheatear was first seen at Inch on 9th April ; I saw and heard 

 the IVhitethroat on 23rd April, and I heard the Sedgewarbler on same 

 date. The Cuckoo appeared on 19th April, and I heard the Corncrake 

 for the first time on the 20th April, but it was reported to have arrived 

 here on 14th. The Swift arrived a week before its usual time. I saw a 

 large flock of about thirty hawking over Derry quaj- on 5th May. Al- 

 most all these arrivals are earlier than last year's dates. The Cuckoo was 

 very scarce here last year, not more than a quarter seemingi}^ of the usual 

 number reaching us. This season it is more than usually abundant. — 

 D. C. Campbei.i<, Londonderry. 



Arrival of Spring: IVIIgrants. — Seeing some notices in last month's 

 /. N. of the early arrival of spring migrants, I wish to record that the 

 Cuckoo was heard at Giants' Causewa}^ on Easter Sunday, 2nd April, 

 which seems to be exceptionally early for this bird. In Wm. Thompson's 

 " Natural History of Ireland" the earliest mention of the arrival of the 

 Cuckoo seems to be the loth April. I saw the first Swallow this season 

 on 5th April in Co. Derry. — Arthur J. CoIvI^ins, Belfast. 



On 24th April, the Night Jar ( Capriniulgiis ejiropceiis) was heard, viuch earlier 

 than usual ; it is abundant in this neighbourhood upon the hills, and can 

 be heard before sunset simultaneously wdth the Thrush, Blackbird, Cuc- 

 koo, etc. — ^J. Ernest Grubb, Carrick-on-Suir. 



Occurrence of the Osprcy (Pandion haliaetus, L.) and the 

 Quail (Coturnix communis, Bechst.) in Co. Cork. — Mr. Rohu, 

 taxidermist, Cork, has now in his hands for preservation a fine immature 

 female specimen of the Osprey, shot at Old Dromore, Co. Cork, on the 

 nth May ; also an adult female specimen of the Quail, shot at Trabulgan, 

 County Cork, on the 7th May.— W. B. BarringTON, Cork. 



Quails in County Dublin.— On the 6th June rny heart was 

 gladdened by hearing the well-known note of a bird which I had not 

 heard in a state of liberty for several years. I refer to the call of the Quail. 

 In recording the arrivaf of this bird, I bear in mind the possibility that 

 the birds which I heard may have been imported and liberated in the 

 neighbourhood. Of course there must always be this element of doubt 

 in recording the occurrence of a bird which is annually imported in large 

 numbers by game-dealers. I have made careful inquiries in the neigh- 

 bourhood, however, and have failed to obtain any evidence of birds hav- 

 ing been liberated, and, having regard to the number of birds that may 

 be heard calling in districts far apart, I have arrived at the conclusion 

 that a true migration of Quail has occurred. It is well known that these 

 birds were obtained in several parts of England last year, and I have good 

 authority for stating that some were obtained in the County Wicklow at 

 the same time. On looking up old shooting diaries, I find I shot my 

 last Quail in the vear 1876, which is probably the last year they were with 

 us. I trust that 'after this long absence from our shores, they will be 

 protected by both naturalists and sportsmen.— J. J. Bowling, Foxrock. 



