to the Blasket Islands, ^c. 5 



forty feet more rope until we had only ten left^ then^ to our 

 great relief, we felt the strain slacken, and we breathed more 

 freely. Soon afterwards a pull at the rope signalled to us 

 that the climber was ready to return, and we slowly hauled 

 up the 240 feet of rope until the climber's head appeared 

 over the edge, holding in his teeth a small red handkerchief 

 containing three eggs, whilst the Peregrines in their excited 

 flight were screaming their loudest. 



We found a Peregrine^s nest on Inishtoorskert in a much 

 more accessible position, but it only contained one egg, con- 

 siderably incubated. 



A pair of Peregrines breed annually on Inishtearaght, but 

 this year we were told that the Hooded Crows had devoured 

 the eggs. A pair often nest on the Great Skellig, but not 

 annually, as they do in other places. 



Falco tinnunculus. 



I was rather surprised to find a pair of Kestrels breeding 

 on the island of Inishnabro. The nest was not a great way otf 

 the eyrie of the Peregrines, and contained four eggs, the 

 nest itself consisting only of some dried grass loosely placed 

 together. 



Saxicola. cenanthe. 



WheatearS were often seen, and I took several nests on 

 Inishvickillane, also nests on Beginish and on Inishnabro. 



Anthus pratensis. 



We found the Meadow Pipit breeding on Inishtoorskert and 

 Beginish, as well as on Inishvickillane, where they are very 

 common. 



Anthus obscurus. 



The Rock Pipit we found breeding on Inishvickillane, also 

 on Inishtearaght, and we saw several pairs of this bird on 

 Inishnabro. 



Alauda arvensis. 



We took a clutch of Skylark's eggs on Inishtoorskert, and 

 the herdsman on Inishvickillane, where I was staying, found 

 several of their nests containing eggs. 



