296 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
nothing to hide the nest, which was quite out on a flat open field; many 
nests of this species have come under my notice, but not one in so curious 
a position.—J. WuiTakER (Rainworth Lodge, Notts). 
Ornithological Notes from Mayo and Sligo.—Notwithstanding the 
cold and late spring, the arrival of summer birds was not so much later 
than usual, but the harsh north-east winds kept them very silent for some 
days after their first appearance, especially the Chiffchaff, Willow Wren, 
and Whitethroat. I have frequently observed these birds flitting about the 
hedgerows perfectly silent as to song, but occasionally uttering their call- 
notes; and this season a Whitethroat attracted my attention by its harsh 
alarm-note three days before I heard one singing. The Sandwich Terns 
were the first of our summer visitors to put in an appearance on the 25th 
of March; two or three pairs were at first seen and heard, and were 
followed by the main flock a few days afterwards. The Chiffchaff was seen 
on April 1st, but I only heard its song once or twice that day; the bird 
appeared very much affected by the cold, flitting about the hedge very silently 
with its feathers ruffled up, and altogether looking very uncomfortable. 
On the 11th my friend Mr. EK. Knox, of Palmerstown, saw Wheatears near 
Killala, and a Swallow on the 17th, though the latter bird did not appear 
in this neighbourhood until the 24th, and, as usual, an old male was the 
first to visit the nesting-place. I heard the Willow Wren on April 24th, 
the Cuckoo on the 27th, and Whimbrels were very noisy on the 28th. 
Common Terns were seen and heard on the 30th; and I heard the White- 
throat and Landrail at Killanly on May 5th. Swifts appeared on the 
evening of the 9th, and a solitary Spotted Flycatcher on the 13th, a day so 
bitterly cold that the little bird had to keep at the lee-side of a hedge for 
shelter, occasionally flying to the grass to pick up insects, being unable to 
stay on the trees, its usual haunt. Of all our summer visitors to this 
district, the Whimbrels are the most regular in the date of their arrival, 
for the record of the past nine years’ observations show that their cry has 
been heard about here between April 28th and May Ist. Now, on the 
contrary, the Sandwich Terns are the most irregular, for I have noted dates 
of their arrival ranging from March 20th to April 30th. May 7th, being 
calm and bright, tempted me to launch my punt, and paddle round the 
estuary down the Moyne Channel to Killala Pool, in order to ascertain 
which of our winter visitors had delayed their departure to the northern 
breeding-grounds. On my way down I saw, on the Moyne Sands, a flock 
of about fifty Bar-tailed Godwits, and, although for a considerable time I 
watched them attentively through a good field-glass, I was unable to 
discover any bird exhibiting the red breast of the breeding plumage, all 
being in the grey winter garb. I also saw three Grey Plovers and about 
twenty Knots, all in the grey plumage, though in one of the latter birds 
(shot) two or three red feathers were just appearing between the grey of the 
