234 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
their continued absence I attribute to traps and poison, for of late 
years it has become the custom to poison the mountain shootings 
as soon as the season is over, and as the Sea Eagle will eat any 
kind of carrion it readily falls a victim to the poisoned meat and 
traps of the keeper. 
Greenland Falcon, Falco candicans.—Very rare, and has only 
once been obtained in the district. A fine adult female was shot 
by a country boy near Killala, on the 3rd April, 1875, and very 
fortunately came into the hands of Lieut.-Col. Knox, of Castlerea, 
who presented it to his brother, Mr. A. E. Knox, of Sussex, the well- 
known author of that delightful work, ‘ Ornithological Rambles in 
Sussex.’ In the winter of 1868, a fine adult male of this species was 
shot near Belmullet, about forty miles from here, and is now in the 
collection of the Dublin Natural History Society. 
Peregrine Falcon, Falco peregrinus.—Resident, and breeds on 
the high cliffs on certain parts of the coast. It appears to be more 
numerous in winter; perhaps some addition to its numbers by 
migratory birds may take place at that season. Lapwings in this 
locality appear to form a favourite part of its food, and afford some 
most exciting flights, far finer than any to be witnessed with trained 
falcons. A short time back I saw the finish of a splendid flight: 
the poor Lapwing was quite worn out, and in order to avoid the 
last stoop of the Falcon dropped into the water, but the Falcon was 
not to be beaten, and, poising herself for a moment, gently lowered 
her feet and, lifting the Lapwing from the water, bore it away. 
Merlin, Falco esalon.—Resident, but oftenest seen during winter. 
It nests annually amongst the heather in the neighbourhood of 
Lough Eask, in the Ox Mountains, Co. Sligo. 
Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus.— Very common and _ resident, 
breeding in the old ruins throughout the country and in suitable 
rocky cliffs around the coast. 
Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus.—Very common throughout the 
wooded districts. ‘The young are exceedingly ravenous. In the 
summer of 1857 a pair built a nest and hatched four young in a larch 
tree close to the dwelling-house here, and being so near I used to 
visit the nest almost daily, but on one occasion when looking into it, 
a short time before the young were fledged, I saw only three birds. 
On making a closer search, however, | saw a clean-picked leg of the 
missing one at the bottom of the nest, and the other leg, in a similar 
condition, lying at the foot of the tree, plainly showing that it had 
