The Zoologist — June, 1866. 247 



lugs we are sailing gunnel under, the white hissing spray passing in 

 showers over the bow, and tailing with a monotonous " whish" upon our 

 oiled clothes. One of the "hands" is listlessly eyeing the seething water, 

 the other with sheet in hand ready to ease her as the tremendous puffs 

 from the "nor'-west" strike us. Quickly gliding over the white- 

 fringed waves skim the brownheaded, the coiuaion and the kitliwake 

 gulls : above our heads, and prying into the water in our wake, are the 

 lesser blackbacked and the herring gulls, and occasionally with slow 

 and heavy flight passes the great blackback, too wary to give a shot. 

 The guillemot arid the razorbill fly from the water or dive with 

 expanded wings at our approach ; the northern and redthroated diver 

 quietly disappear in the briny depths. Gannets, at some distance, are 

 plunging head foremost at the raackerell, but one coming too near 

 falls kicking into the water, his falling bringing a great blackback 

 within range, for curiosity will often tempt them beyond the bounds 

 of discretion, but though we hear the shot cracking his quills, and see 

 him disgorge the fish from his throat, still he sails majestically away, 

 seemingly unhurt. " Mackerell cocks" (shearwaters) have been round 

 us all day, and the "skiee" of the tern is often heard, while, with 

 jerking flight and down-pointing bill, the little fellows pass and repass 

 the boat : I distinguish the common, the arctic, the Sandwich and 

 Dougal's ; the two latter are very wary birds, and though common are 

 seldom shot. The pomarine and two smaller species of skuas may be 

 seen in almost every flock of kittiwakes, chasing and annoying the 

 poor birds for their hard-earned fish ; sometimes, though rarely, the 

 big fellow himself may be seen, vassal to none but the noble old 

 blackback. Numerous ducks, geese and land birds pass us, for they 

 are performing their autumnal migration southwards. We have now- 

 reached Ireland's Eye, among the rocks of which are numerous cor- 

 morants, shags, turnstones, oystercatchers, curlews, whimbrels, dunlins, 

 common sandpipers, kingfishers and herons, and, wherever there is a 

 little shingly beach, a flock of ringed plovers are sure to rise with a 

 plaintive whistle. Redshanks, greenshanks, godwits, gray plovers, 

 knots and purple sandpipers are pretty sure to be met with if you land 

 among the rocks. We stretch away now to Lambay, seven miles about 

 from the " Eye," and there cormorants and shags may be seen in dozens 

 upon their favourite rocks, which are always lofty and commanding, 

 and generally isolated. (Cormorants and shags have favourite rocks 

 in different parts of a rocky coast, where they will always make 

 to to rest. In the immediate neighbourhood of Dalkey are the 



