162 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Guillemot, Uria troile, Linn. — Breeds at the same time as 

 the last-named species, and chiefly upon the north side of the 

 island, nearer the water. There is a horizontal fissure in the 

 cliffs west of Freshwater Bay, at a place called " New House," 

 where these birds especially abound. This fissure is about thirty- 

 five feet above the water, and twenty or thirty feet in length. It 

 is deep enough to permit one to wriggle along the floor, which is 

 covered with Guillemots' eggs, and I have twice succeeded in 

 climbing into it, in the hope of obtaining a Shag's egg. This 

 is the chief home of the Guillemot on the island. 



Black Guillemot, Uria grylle, Linn.— I have seen a pair or 

 two of these birds on the water within a mile or two of Lambay 

 in summer, but it appears to have entirely forsaken the island as a 

 breeding-place. Watters, writing in 1853, estimated that between 

 one hundred and one hundred and fifty of these birds annually 

 incubated there at that time. This number is probably much 

 exaggerated. Mr. R. J. Montgomery wrote to Thompson, after 

 visiting Lambay in June, 1849, that he was unable to find their 

 eggs, though breeding on the south side of the island. Thompson 

 himself saw several there on June 5th, 1838. My own experience 

 leads me to believe that this bird does not usually assemble in 

 large numbers to breed. On the Donegal cliffs I have only seen 

 them in companies of a dozen or two about their time of incuba- 

 tion. A couple of pairs still breed on Ireland's Eye, and I have 

 reason to believe on Howth also. 



Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carlo, Linn. — Breeds sparingly on 

 the north side of the island, the young being usually flown by the 

 end of May. Formerly they bred here in much greater numbers, 

 but their nests being easily pilfered they have been much reduced. 

 The nests are in close proximity. On Breaghy Head, in Donegal, 

 in a space of about fifty square yards I have noticed nearly as 

 many nests, the young being mostly flown on May 26th : at this 

 period the female bird will not leave her eggs till almost touched, 

 uttering at the same time a peculiarly deep hoarse note of alarm. 

 The nests are large and loosely constructed, and usually, but not 

 always, built on the clayey margin near the summit of the cliffs. 

 A pair or two of Cormorants may possibly still breed on Howth, 

 but the presence of these birds during the breeding season, like 

 some of the Gulls, Sandpipers, and the Gannet, is no evidence of 

 their having nests in the neighbourhood. 



