The Zoologist— March, 18G7. G17 



Early next morning we mounted a car and proceeded to Dunleury, 

 where we picked up a " gossoon" to act as guide across the bog and 

 through the Ballaghquilla. The keeper on this estate informed us 

 that he was keeping a sharp look out for eagles, and a few days before 

 had fired shot after shot into a hollow in the rocks where he fancied 

 the nest was, but without effect : he had seen the birds about only the 

 day before, but was sure they were not in the Poisoned Glen, on 

 which we were entering; they might be in Glen Veigh, on the other 

 side of the pass, and out of his jurisdiction. Yes, he'd trapped and 

 shot a good many in his time, he had, and he flattered himself that if 

 he could only get hold of that pair of eagles it would pretty well settle 

 the breed in his district. The peregrines must follow, though they 

 were plaguy far-travelling birds, came all the way from the Horn ; 

 but then the gamekeeper's millenium might be considered as near 

 at hand — grouse, unlimited grouse, with only the little merlin left 

 as a trifling "thorn in the flesh," lest they should be too much 

 puffed up. 



Leaving this uncongenial spirit, we followed our guide up the glen, 

 the barefooted lad jumping like a goat from hag to hag of the bog, 

 and yelling with delight whenever a miss sent one either knee-deep in 

 the moss or caused one to take an impression of one's features in the 

 soft peat. Three miles of this spread-eagle work, during which we 

 saw nothing but titlarks and a pair of golden plovers, brought us to 

 the head of this magnificent glen, and the foot of a pass which re- 

 minded me forcibly of some of the lower passes of the Andes. The 

 rock seemed to go up like a wall, but there was a very faint track 

 between the masses of stone, so up we went, pausing every now and 

 then to sweep the glen with our glasses for any signs of eagles or their 

 eyrie. The boy told us that the chough bred in the crevices of the 

 lower part of the glen, and described the bird and egg quite correctly : 

 this is at least six miles from the sea-coast. After a stiff pull we stood 

 on the summit of Ballaghquilla, i. e. Pass of the Winds, a name it 

 merits well, for as we topped the crest the gusts almost swept us off 

 our feet. From this great watershed of the district a glorious view is 

 obtained— Alien, Errigal, with its lofty cone glittering in the mid-day 

 sun, and Muckish, looking like a huge tumulus. Refreshing ourselves 

 with copious draughts of some delicious water, we dismissed our guide, 

 and descended into Glen Veigh, a grand gorge, less rugged than some 

 of its neighbours, owing to the wood and bushes which extend for 

 some distance up its sides. On we went, scrutinizing the rocks with 



SECOND SERIES — VOL. II. N 



