156 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



of Cappagh, was not uncommon some years ago at 

 the mouth of Waterford Harbour, and frequent at 

 the back of Tramore Strand, before it was enclosed. 

 Brent are very numerous on the Irish coast, espe- 

 cially in the north, north-west, east, and south- 

 west ; their southern limit on the western coast 

 being Tralee ; north of that place, their next haunt 

 is Mutton, and Hare Island, in Galway Bay. They 

 are very rarely to be found between Tralee and 

 Wexford in the south ; but from the latter place, all 

 round the east, north-east, north, and north-west 

 coasts, back again to Tralee, I have seen them in 

 plenty. 



Mr. Law, of Youghal, shot several Brent Geese 

 near that place during the winter 1878-79. These 

 birds are numerous in Lough Foyle, Dundalk Bay, 

 Lough Swilly, Drumcliff Bay, Sligo Bay ; rather 

 plentiful in Belfast Lough, Carlingford Lough, at 

 Wexford ; and they abound in Tralee Bay. I never 

 saw Brent on the Shannon, or on the estuaries of 

 Bantry or Kenmare. Near Malahide, Brown, a local 

 and most observant fowler, describes them in some 

 seasons as darkening the sky, in others as scarce ; 

 but in most places frequented by Brent, their num- 

 bers do not appear to vary to such an extent, nor 

 does frost affect their appearance. In Broadhaven 

 Bay, near Belmullet, Brent are common. I never 

 saw Brent and Bernicle together, or their feeding 

 haunts interchanged, although I have seen both 

 species in Donegal, within a few hundred yards of 

 each other, each feeding to its fancy, but never 

 mixing. This has, as above stated, given rise to the 

 name of " land " and " sea " Bernicle. When near 



