116 ^ird Life and Sport on Ac hill Island. 



possible danger, and constantly emitting their wild cries. A 

 Heron, sedate and motionless was standing in the water at the 

 edge of the lake, while further out was a flock of Wigeon. 

 Beyond the Wigeoi^ were a score of wild swans, which are 

 believed by the Achill natives to, be witches I Very graceful 

 did they appear as they floated over the Lough, until some- 

 thing alariped them and they rose suddenly with a great 

 flapping of wings, first close to the water and then circling 

 higher and higher, until they reached a great height and dis- 

 appeared in the direction of Ballacroy on the mainland. 



Few people know what good eating a Cygnet makes. 

 In olden days it was a recognized " dainty dish to set before 

 a king." I had once sampled the dainty and was anxious to 

 repeat the experiment. So a few days later I brought a 

 rifle down andl picked off a couple of them, which provided 

 a most appetising repast later. Walking round the lake we 

 disturbed a number of Rock Pigeons which were on the 

 ground. They took flight when we drew nearer, but we man- 

 aged to shoot several on the wing. 



The next thing which claimed our interest was a small 

 islet farther away. This, we learned, was the " Bill's Rock," 

 about live miles from where we stood, ft is a great breed- 

 ing place for sea birds, and^ I am hoping some day I may 

 have the good fortune to explore the islet at my leisure. At 

 present, it is, of necessity, in the "dim future,".and "on the 

 knees of the gods " of war, as I am engaged in " the great 

 adventure " like the majority of my countrymen. 



But, to "return to our mutton." The Stormy l^etrel 

 is another bird that breeds on some of the adjacent islets, and 

 Ihat handsome, but rare member of the Corvidae, the Chough, 

 nests on the mighty Achill clifts. I saw these birds con- 

 stantly during my, stay, but never from very close quarters. 

 Another member of this family that is very abundant is the 

 Carrion Crow. What struck me chiefly was the extreme lame- 

 ness and disregard of human intruders shown by the Achill 

 Crow. Jt was the more extraordinary when one considers 

 how wary English Crow? are. i 



