1 68 Guide to Belfast. 



man, and used for food, and the interesting question arises 

 as to the possibihty of ancient breeding-places having 

 existed near Whitepark Bay. Professor Newton considers 

 that the Skerries, off Portrush, would have been a suitable 

 place ; and no doubt the gentle slopes of Church Bay, in 

 Rathlin, would have offered no difficulty to a flightless bird. 



The *Black (juillemot frequents our loughs in small 

 numbers, and breeds on Rathlin, where it remains all the 

 year. The Little Auk is an uncommon straggler in winter, 

 and is more frequently picked up inland after a storm than 

 obtained on the coast. It is considered rare in Strangford. 

 The *Puffin breeds in very large numbers on Rathlin, and is 

 found in varying numbers in our loughs in late summer 

 and early autumn. In winter it is almost unknown. 



Pygopodes. — The Great Northern Diver is found in 

 limited numbers in winter. The 8th August is the earliest 

 date R. Lloyd Patterson has seen this bird in Belfast 

 Lough, but he informs me that in June 1884 he saw four 

 which had been accidentally caught in nets at Newcastle, 

 Co. Down. The same gentleman has only seen four Black- 

 throated Divers in Belfast Lough. It is a very rare winter 

 visitor. The Red-throated Diver is the most common of 

 the three. It is frequently seen in autumn and winter; 

 and R. Lloyd Patterson regards it as a regular spring 

 visitor to our loughs on migration. He has seen one at 

 the very early date of i8th July in Belfast Lough. 



The *Great Crested Grebe breeds in some numbers on 

 Lough Neagh, Hillsborough Park, and other places. It 

 rarely visits salt water in the north of Ireland, probably 

 owing to the great expanse of Lough Neagh ; but occasion- 

 ally odd birds have been shot in Lame and Belfast Loughs. 

 The Red-necked Grebe is extremely rare, not having been 

 recorded since 1850 (Thompson). The Slavonian Grebe is 

 a rather uncommon winter visitor. We have notes of over a 

 dozen occurrences on the coast and several on Lough 

 Neagh. The Eared Grebe is another rare member of the 

 family, only six specimens being recorded, the last from 

 Doagh, Co. Antrim, in 1868 (Blake Knox in Zoologist). 

 The ^Little Grebe is resident and common, breeding in 

 many ponds and lakes, even on Rathlin. In winter it occa- 



