Bird Life and Sport on Achill Island . 14.5 



Every day of my slay brought equally interesting 

 adventures, and the variety of birds was bewildering. Snipe, 

 Woodrock, Plover, Pigeons. Geese, Ducks, Swans, and Hares 

 gave us all the sport we required, and filled our larder daily. 

 Addvd to this was the \ar;ety of species to be studied from 

 an avicullurist's point of \iew, and the scenery to gloat over 

 and admir:'. We clijnbcd the mountains, roamed the moors, 

 and bogtrottcd " from morn till dewy e\e," in all weathers, 

 always accompanied by the invaluable Michael. In addition 

 to his varied abilities, in other respects he kept us interested 

 with stories of the picturesque Achill natives and their mani- 

 fold superstitions, l^hese people live in single-storied thatched 

 cottages, and usually cultivate a amalJ patch of land, and keep 

 a fevv' fowls, ducks, and geese. And this reminds me of one 

 of AlichaelV: yarns: 



A farmer visitor to the Island made a bet that he 

 would shoot a goose during his stay. But the final day of 

 this visit arrived without his desire being fulfillc;d. It looked 

 as if he had lost his bet. "Was he downhearted? No-o-ol" 

 He vowed he would shoot his goose that day, and he kept 

 his word. Raising his gun he shot a tame one, paid the 

 damage^ and won his bet. 



A Naturalist can find sufficient material to occupy his 

 time all the year round on Achill,, which is a paradise ifor 

 a great number of birds of varied species. The fisherman, 

 too, can secure many a fine trout, while the artist, photo- 

 ^grapher, pedestrian, and climber are all generously catered 

 for by Dame Nature, in this wild and beautiful spot. 



There is but one class of visitor for whom no welcome 

 (exists — the rent collector I If he is a wise man he will give 

 Achill a wide bertli. II a member of that ilk thinks ,of 

 starting business on the Island, let him take my tip. and 

 make his will first I 



At length the end of my stay tame, all too soon, and 

 we drove away to Achill Sound, on our return journey to 

 England, 1, for my own part, filled with regret for the de- 

 lights, the beauty, and interest I was leavijig bchiiid me, 

 and registering a vow that I would some day re\isit tJic 



