158 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



aroused, the male starts out screaming, and flies around at a 

 distance of one or two hundred yards, with a harsh and incessant 

 cry. As long as the intruder remains this is continued, and if 

 the mate be disturbed from tbe nest both birds keep up the 

 concert. The nest is invariably inaccessible without the aid of a 

 rope. The parents remain about the breeding haunt till late in 

 the summer. The young are slow in arriving at maturity ; they 

 are usually able to fly about the middle of June. On the east of 

 Ireland I have met the Peregrine on the Mourne Mountain, and 

 on the Antrim coast in two or three places to the northward ; 

 while south of Lam bay it bred at Luggela, in Wicklow, in 1882, 

 and previously. The cliffs above Lough Nahanagan, in the same 

 county, were — till recently, at any rate — inhabited by these birds, 

 and I have seen them also at Lough Bray, but they have become 

 very scarce in this county. There is no suitable habitat along 

 the coast till we round Carnsore, excepting Bray Head, in Wicklow, 

 where they formerly bred. After Carnsore I saw Peregrines, in 

 1882, at the Saltee Island, at cliffs near Fethard, and at Ardmore 

 Head. As a rule they prefer sea-cliffs, but I met with them the 

 same year breeding in the Twelve Bens, in the County Galway. 



Kestrel, Falco tininincidus, Linn. — A. pair or more usually 

 breed on the north side of the island. 



Song Thrush, Tardus musicus, Linn.— Usually a couple of 

 pairs breed. Thrushes have been scarcer on the island since tbe 

 hard winter of 1880 ; they appear to be summer visitors. 



Blackbird, T. mcrula, Linn. — A. few inhabit and breed on 

 the island. 



HEDGEsrARUow, Accentor modidaris, Linn., and Redbreast, 

 Erythacus rubecida, Linn. — Breeding and residing in small 

 numbers. 



Stonechat, Saxicola rubicola, Linn. — Two or three pairs 

 breed. Probably migrant. 



Wheatear, 8. cenanthc, Linn. — A summer visitor; several 

 pairs breed amongst the rabbit-holes. 



Whitethroat, Sylvia rufa, Bodd. — Lambay is quite a favourite 

 summer haunt of this cheerful songster, the dense tangles of 

 bramble there being well adapted for breeding quarters. 



Willow Wren, Phylloscopus trochilus, Linn. — One or two 

 pairs were breeding in the neighbourhood of the castle, 1882. 

 A rare summer visitor to Lambay. 



