Natural History of the Island of Rathlin. 57 
but rarely seen. It feeds on young lambs, sickly sheep, fish, and, when pressed by 
hunger, on carrion. A friend on the island informed me that he one day saw a sea 
eagle strike down a raven, and afterwards soar away apparently regardless of his fallen 
victim. 
Prerecrine Farcon. (Falco peregrinus.) This falcon, which is found on many 
of the headlands in the County of Antrim, may be also seen on the precipices on the 
northern shore of Rathlin, where it annually rears its young. During my visit to 
the island the situation of one of their nests was pointed out, and a man descended 
the cliff and procured two of the young, which were brought to me for sale. 
Sparrow Hawk (Falco nisus) is occasionally seen hovering over the corn fields 
in search of mice and small birds, on which it subsists. 
Kestret. (Falco tinnunculus.) The kestrel is seen in different parts of the 
island ; and on the cliffs on the southern shore I had frequent opportunities of ob- 
serving it. The young starlings, which were, at the time I allude to, just fledged and 
frequenting the island in large flocks, offered to this and the other birds of prey ample 
means of subsistence. 
Wuire Owx. (Strix flammea.) This is the only species of owl found in Rathlin, 
and is but very rarely seen. 
Raven. (Corvus corax.) A few pairs annually breed on some of the precipitous 
cliffs on the island, but it is a bird only occasionally seen. It is destructive here as 
elsewhere to young lambs and sickly sheep, which it attacks and commonly destroys. 
Chickens and ducks not unfrequently fall victims to its voracity. 
Hoopep Crow. (Corvus corniz.) ‘This wary bird is found in Rathlin through- 
out the year. They associate mostly in pairs, frequenting the inland parts of the 
island, and occasionally resorting to the shore in search of shell-fish, and other marine 
substances, on which they sometimes feed. Like the raven, they breed in the most 
inaccessible parts of the rocks. 
Macriz. (Corvus pica.) From the total want of wood on the island, the magpie 
is very rare, one or two pairs only being seen. 
Cornisu-Cuoven. (Pyrrhocorax graculus.) This is called by the islanders 
the Jackdaw, and is by far the most numerous species on the island. In the month 
of July I found them everywhere, associated in large flocks, at one place frequenting 
inland situations, and at another congregated on the sea-shore. They had just col- 
lected together their different families, now fully fledged, and were picking up their 
food (which consisted chiefly of insects) either on the shore, in the crevices of rocks, 
or in the pasture fields. Mr. Selby mentions that the chough will not alight on the 
turf if it can possibly avoid it, always preferring gravel, stones, or walls. On Rathlin 
its choice of situation seemed to be but sparingly exhibited, as I found it frequenting 
the corn and pasture fields in even greater numbers than along the shores. This may 
have arisen from the shores being in general high and rocky, not affording them the 
