328 THE FOWLER IN IRELAND. 



published an interesting paper " On the Introduction 

 of the Squirrel into Ireland/' which will be found in 

 the " Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin 

 Society" for May, 1880. 



On looking at the map which accompanies this 

 paper, and which illustrates the present distri- 

 bution of the Squirrel in Ireland, it may be 

 remarked that there are only three or four 

 patches of country in which the animal is found, 

 and these chiefly in the centre and east of Ire- 

 land, with a few scattered districts in the north. 

 In the north-west, west, and south of Ireland it 

 appears to be quite unknown. Thus, in the centre 

 of Ireland, the counties in which it occurs are Long- 

 ford, Westmeath, King's County, and the eastern 

 border of Galway ; in the east, Dublin, Kildare, 

 Wicklow, and parts of Carlow and Wexford ; in the 

 north, parts of Antrim, Derry, and Tyrone, and one 

 or two spots in Down and Armagh. 



In several of these counties the history of the 

 Squirrel's introduction is known, and will be found 

 detailed in Mr. Barrington's paper above quoted, in 

 which also the reader will find much to interest him 

 regarding the mention of this animal in the works 

 of early writers on the history of Ireland. 



THE OTTER, although by no means free from 

 persecution, is not uncommon in many parts of the 

 country, especially in the rivers and lakes that lie near 

 the west and south-west coasts of Ireland. In some 

 places, indeed, it is said to be on the increase, owing 

 to the measures now adopted to preserve fish in 

 rivers and to the withdrawal of rewards for otters' 

 heads. A good number evidently are shot or trapped 



