Clare Island Survey — Aves. 20 13 



the river-sides through Connernara, Mayo, and Donegal, but they are not 

 common on the actual sea-board ; though in Kerry they are found near 

 Valencia at all seasons. Barrington received a Grey Wagtail, killed 

 striking North Aran light-house, 8th October, 1887, and another from 

 Clare Island, 23rd November, 1904. 



Motacilla raii (Bonap.). Yellow Wagtail. —A single specimen (female, 

 was shot by Sheridan on Achill Island, loth May, 1892, as appears 

 from a note of A. G. More. Warren once saw a male near Killala Bay, 

 15th April, 1875. Good thinks he has seen the Yellow Wagtail near 

 Castlebar; he knows it on Loughs Carra, Mask, and Corrib, where it 

 breeds. The nest was first found near Lough Corrib by Lord Lilford in 

 1854 J. Steele Elliott stated that he saw the species on the 15th 

 May, 1891, on grass-land beside Lough Kiltooris in western Donegal : 

 ■ and the late John Chute Neligan, Eecorder of Cork, knew it as a 

 regular visitor near Tralee. There is, therefore, evidence that the 

 Yellow Wagtail migrates up the west coast, and occasionally goes west 

 of the line of Loughs Corrib and Mask . 



Anthus pratensis (Linn.). Meadow Pipit. — The most generally distributed bird 

 on Clare Island (Patten;, being found almost to the mountain's top, and 

 is present at all seasons. A Peregrine was observed mobbed by Pipits, 

 and one was seen feeding a young Cuckoo on a boulder. Foster found 

 a nest under a large stone deeply embedded in a bare grass slope — 

 another instance of land birds breeding under cover on exposed islands. 1 

 The Meadow Pipit is common and resident in the several districts 

 round Clew Bay and on Achill. Good has noticed it in large numbers 

 ■in. winter about Westport. It frequents the desolate moors of Mayo, as 

 well as pastures and cultivated parts. Barrington's observations show 

 that there is an immigration in spring and another in autumn ; and it is 

 doubtless the autumn immigrants that swell the numbers on the west 

 .coast. Warren on a September morning observed a flock of 200 on 

 Bartragh Island, which took flight towards the mainland, evidently on 

 migration. 



Anthus cervinus (Linn.). Eed-throated Pipit. — A male was obtained by 

 Coburn on Achill, 25th May, 1895 (Bull. B. 0. C, lxxx, p. 15), 



Anthus obscurus (Lath.). Bock Pipit.— Common resident on the shores of 

 Clare Island, Achill, Inishturk, and Inishbofin, and is the only laud-bird 

 that breeds on The Bills. It is common on all the neighbouring coasts, 



1 Irish Nat., vol. xviii, p. 159. 



