OTES 



AUTUMN MIGRATION ACROSS THE IRISH SEA. 



Crossing to Holyhead from Dublin (Kingstown), on 

 November 7th, 1921, I witnessed a well-marked east to 

 west migration along the steamer route. The distance 

 from harbour to harbour is, I believe, 64 miles, and the 

 passage was accomplished in exactly two hours and forty 

 minutes. We cast off at Kingstown at 8.40 a.m. At 9.10, 

 when off The Kish Lightship, a flock of Starlings {Sturnus 

 vulgaris), consisting of about a dozen individuals, passed 

 us, flying low, and heading straight up Dublin Bay instead 

 of for the nearest land which was Howth Head. At intervals 

 of, roughly, half an hour four more large and medium-sized 

 flocks were encountered all heading west, and flying fron> 

 10 to 50 feet above the sea. Near mid-channel two flocks 

 (one dense) of Finches were passed, flying low, in the same 

 direction, followed by a solitary Jackdaw {Colceus monedula) 

 struggling along just above the waves. Coming up to The 

 Stack two or three Greenfinches {Chlofis chloris) passed, going 

 out to sea, and also a couple of Rooks (Corviisfrttgilegus). There 

 was a cold N.W. breeze blowing when we left Kingstown, 

 which stiffened into a nasty " nor'-wester " off Holyhead, 

 accompanied by showers of sleet, and a waterspout, an unusual 

 phenomenon in these latitudes, which was visible about seven 

 miles away on the starboard beam. As I was onty watching 

 from the sheltered starboard side I am unable to say what 

 passed us on the weather side. H. A. F. Magrath. 



WOOD-LARK BREEDING IN RADNORSHIRE. 



So far as I am aware the Wood-Lark {Lullnla a. arhorea) 

 has not yet been recorded as breeding in Radnorshire, and 

 therefore it may be interesting to record that in May 1920 

 I found near Knighton a Wood-Lark's rest with an addled 

 egg. Also on May 8th, 1921, I found a nest containing three 

 young within three miles of the 1920 nest. Further, I located 

 another pair midway between these two sites, but owing to 

 my subsequent absence from the neighbourhood I was 

 unable to find the nest. I have done a great deal of field 

 work in the neighbourhood for the last seventeen years, 

 and I do not think it likely that I have overlooked this bird, 

 as its beautiful song is bound to attract one immediately, 



O. R. Owen. 



