278 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



old and young, feeding together on the strand. 

 I myself have counted upwards of a hundred 

 Choughs in a day on the western shore of the 

 island.* I also noted thirty- three Redbreasted 

 Mergansers (old and young together) in Blacksod 

 Bay, co. Mayo, near Achill Sound, during the first 

 week of September, 1881. 



Sixteen miles north of Achill, far out in the 

 ocean, are some islands, three of which are inha- 

 bited, namely, North and South Inishkea and 

 Davillaun. The others are not. Many rare 

 birds and eggs might be obtained by searching 

 these great breeding haunts at the proper time, as 

 they stand lonely and isolated from all civilization. 

 On the Inishkea Islands, as on the Blasquets, 

 the people bow to a self-elected king, and make 

 and respect their own laws and customs. 



Skelligs Lighthouse, co. Kerry. 



During the frost of January, 1881, several Cock 

 and Snipe visited the islands, and remained till the 

 thaw (J. Gardener). In the account already given 

 of these islands (p. 254), the birds which frequent 

 them are described. 



* Choughs breed here and there along the whole of the south 

 and west coasts of Ireland. They are fairly numerous at Ardmore, 

 co. Waterford. They nest in numbers in Achill Island and in Clare 

 Island (Clew Bay). I have seen them frequently near Loop Head, 

 and at the Cliffs of Moher, co. Clare, also on the coasts of Kerry, 

 Connemara, Donegal and Antrim. -Their sauciness when tamed, 

 merry cry, and handsome plumage enhance their value as pets, or as 

 objects of interest along the shore. 



