BIRDS OF DUBLIN AND WICKLOW. 481 
with very few. They are certainly difficult to flush, and many 
are missed from their habit of running, aided by the nature of the 
ground they frequent. In a swamp near the Sugar Loaf I saw 
two of these birds several times in March, 1870, and 1 have once 
or twice met with one in other parts of Wicklow. 
Lanpram.—A regular summer visitor in variable numbers. 
WarERHEN, or Moornen.—Common. I have met with it 
along almost every stream, canal, or wet ditch in both counties. 
It increases in numbers, I fancy, in winter. is 
Coor.—I have seen a few on the Vartry Reservoir in early 
spring, and in winter at the upper part of the Malahide estuary, 
also at the one near Donabate, and on the Swords river in 
April. 
Swan.-—In January, 1870, when lying on the low part of the 
North-Bull wall, waiting for a pair of Mergansers to come within 
shot, I was startled by hearing a bullet whizz over my head. 
I looked about me without raising myself much, when I saw a 
Swan crossing the wall below me, and three sportsmen some 
hundreds of yards on the other side. They fired several balls, 
but as I was no longer between them and it I was able to watch 
the bird, which flew in the direction of Howth. Where it came 
from or went to I do not know, for though I looked for it for a 
week after I never saw it again. The following winter, about 
Christmas or a little after, three stayed for about ten days between 
the Bull and the shore, generally near the Sutton end. These 
J often thought were escaped tame birds. In April, 1875; a Swan 
was pointed out tome on the water between the Pigeon-House 
Fort and Kingstown Harbour, but by the time I had rowed round 
the Lighthouse it had vanished. In April, 1876, when about five 
or six miles straight out from the mouth of the Liffey, a flock of 
birds ‘were seen on the horizon, flying in a northerly direction, 
which turned out to be Swans when looked at through a glass. 
These ‘are the only Swans I have seen in the district.’ I cannot 
say of what species they were—most probably Bewick’s Swans. 
WHITE+FRONTED Goosr.—In March, 1873, a flock of thirty- 
seven of these Geese stayed for a few days about the old targets 
on the North Bull, generally on the water. In January, 1874, 
I saw a single’ Goose flying over the Bull Bridge. It seemed to 
alight at the north end of the Bull, and was probably a White- 
fronted Goose. 
3Q 
