322 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
were afraid to follow them, and my boat lying under several feet of 
snow I was unable to launch her in time to secure them. On the 
30th of the same month a flock of twenty were seen flying up the 
river, closely followed by five more. In January, 1867, | remarked 
a solitary bird on the river, and heard others calling as they passed 
overhead in a thick fog. On the 27th December, 1870, a large 
flock of between thirty and forty birds were seen resting in the 
channel near Scurmore; they remained until about three o’clock, 
when they all rose from the water and flew across the country in 
the direction of Lough Conn, and on the following morning about 
ten o’clock a flock of thirty, coming from the north-east, were seen 
flying in the same direction. On December 4th, 1871, I observed 
twenty birds in the estuary near Ballysokeery. I followed them in 
my punt, but was unable to get within range, owing to the wariness 
of the largest bird in the flock. This bird when he saw the boat 
began to call, and then, closely accompanied by two cygnets, swam 
off, followed by the others; but wherever he went the two cygnets 
kept quite close and never attempted to follow any others of the 
flock, the large bird very probably being the parent of the cygnets. 
I cannot feel certain whether the swans seen are the great Wild 
Swan or Bewick’s, but from their call-note and size I am inclined 
to think them the latter species, the call-notes | have heard more 
resembling the words “awe, awe, awe” than the “ whoo—whoo— 
whoop” of the Whooper.* 
Bean Goose, Anser segetum.—A regular winter visitant, but met 
with in much smaller numbers than the next species, which is the 
most numerous of all the inland-feeding geese in this district. 
White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons.—Very common in suitable 
localities. I have seen them as early as the 29th September and 
as late as the 25th April, and have been told of their remaining 
up to May Ist. All through the winter several flocks pass over 
this place twice daily to and from their feeding grounds. They 
generally rest by day on the wide expanse of flat bog lying at the 
foot of the Ox Mountains, County Sligo, and just before dusk cross 
over into the County Mayo to feed about Rarooyeen Lake and 
the swampy lands near Mullifarry. I have only twice seen them 
on the tidal part of the river; but the great haunt for geese is near 
Foxford on the wide expanse of meadows along the River Moy. 
* In Ireland Bewick’s Swan is said to be much commoner than the Whooper, 
c. f. Thompson, ‘ Birds of Ireland,’ yol. iii. p, 17.— Eb. 
