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Bird and Nature notes in Ireland.



BIRD AND NATURE NOTES IN IRELAND.


By Charles J. Renshaw, M.D.


Our first sojourn was at Dublin, a city well worth a visit.

It was an extraordinary sight to observe the Sea-gulls in the midst

of a city ; but amongst other water-fowl we saw no less than three

kinds. There is an excellent Zoological Garden close to that of

Botany, in which time may instructively be passed.


Our journey led us from Dublin to Galway, and on to Recess„

a station on the line to Clifden. It is close to Lough Glendalough,

in which large pike may be found, trout, and other fish. At Cashel,,

the walk over the hill to the Holy Well is like passing over a bed

of moss, soft in heather and purple in August. A boat can be

hired here for fishing or for a visit to the kelp burners; the burning

of the kelp or thick seaweed for the making of iodine and bromine

pays well, and, in addition, lobsters can be caught and sold. Near

Ballinahinch grow many beautiful ferns, amongst them the holly

fern : the beautiful so-called Mediterranean heath of two colours'

w r as also luxuriant.


As we drove along the coast road to Leenane the cry of the

sea-bird as it flew in close to the billows gave variety : here was

a brilliant hedge of red fuchsia, there a field of beautiful red weed..

Our course took us into a valley surrounded by high mountains ::

hills of sapphire blended with the green of the grass and the purple

of the heather. Life, too, was there: several species of butterfly

flew 7 past us : a large Hawk soared gracefully above. A Kingfisher

flashed past in rapid flight: the shrill whistle of the Curlew was

heard on the mountain as we disturbed him on his feed. The

watefall at the head of Killery Bay had a pretty effect as it bounded

from rock to rock, making a salmon ladder to a rivulet beyond.


On Achill Island the rocks are sublime. The marine fern

was out in its beautiful green, but most difficult and dangerous to

approach: the children, however, scrambled like goats for it. We

p assed the ruins of Mr. Boycott’s house. At the sale of his effects

his goats fell to a farmer, but there was no contract to deliver, so

the unlucky purchaser was told to catch the goats. He being unable



