9688 Birds. 



is continued, the hoot of our old favourite, in the long winter nights, 

 will soon become " a thing of the past." 



John Rocke. 



Clungunfoid House, Shropshire, 

 June 10, 1865. 



(To be conlinued.) 



Ornithological Notes taken on the Kish Bank, Dublin Bay. 

 By H. Blake-Knox, Esq. 



To-day (April 15th, 1865), tempted by the rising mercury and the 

 fogginess of the morning, I took a row to the Kish Bank Lightship, 

 which is close on seven miles from the shore. This sand-bank is the 

 favourite resort of our migratory web-footed birds during botli their 

 vernal and autumnal migrations, owing to the immense shoals of sand 

 eels which pass over it at this season of ihe year, accompanied by the 

 cole fish, or " black pollack" {Gadiis carbonari ns), and the grey gur- 

 nard, or " knond " [Tri</la gurnardnn). In autumn the herring fry and 

 their enemies the mackerel and pollack, or "while pollack" {Gadus 

 pollachius), supply the place of these fishes. 



On reaching the North Burford Buoy, I was agreeably surprised to 

 see a swallow flying for shore : its fliglit was low and steady, and it was 

 evidently migrating, as no swallow at this time of year would fly so 

 far to sea for pleasure. This hirundine appeared here on the 6th of 

 April. 



A whealear passed my boat, flying in the direction of Howth. 

 I first met with it on the 8th of the month (late). 



The guillemot was in great abundance. All adults killed were in 

 full summer dress. The young show no sign of attaining the dark 

 head ; the dark feathers are browner than in the winter, otherwise the 

 bird is the same. 



A large flock of velvet scoters passed me, flying north. 

 A fair amount of northern and redthroated divers. It is impossible to 

 get within shot at this season, they flying long out of range. Some 

 northern divers passed close enough to show that they had assumed the 

 black throat of summer. Razor I'ills ad libifuin. Adults killed are 

 in magnificent summer dress, the line from bill to eye pure white, as 

 is also the bar on bill ; this latter, however, fades soon after death. I 

 did not succeed in killing any young birds, though I saw plenty ; all 

 seemed as in winter. The young are very wild at this season; when 



