20 24 Proceedings of the Royal Irish A caiiemy. 



Circus cyaneus (Linn.). Hex-Haebiee. — On 3rd July, 1910, about the middle 

 of Clare Island, Patten saw an adult male Hen-Harrier mobbed by 

 Pipits ; it soon disappeared down the slope towards the abbey. This 

 bird, which has become scarcer in Heland, is rare in Co. Mayo, though 

 met with in Connemara, and more frequently in Kerry. 



Aquila chrysa*etus (Linn.). Goldex Eagle. — The great cliffs on the north-west 

 side of Clare Island, which rise sheer to about 1000 feet, were the home 

 of this majestic bird. 



E. G. Symes, of the Geological Survey, who had been stationed in the 

 district in 1867-1870, stated that the Eagles, generally a pair, used to be 

 quite fearless, from the absence of guns, and that they did havoc 

 among the young lambs, and lifted geese from the cottiers' very doors. 

 T. Boivrke Gaffney, who was a week on the island in 1878, and saw two 

 Eagles, stated that there was an unbroken record of a pair occupying the 

 same eyrie for the past century, which was never disturbed, being inaccess- 

 ible. This is confirmed by the reports of light-keepers from 1882 to 1885, 

 who speak of these birds having their nest in the highest cliffs ; and say 

 that in winter, when they had not sea-birds, they were often observed near 

 the villages, and used to prey upon the grouse, then plentiful on Clare 

 Island. Brownall, principal light-keeper, wrote : " On 4th April, 1884 a 

 young speckled Eagle perched about 200 yards from the lighthouse. The 

 two eagles are here still in their usual abode in the highest cliffs. 

 Nov. 20. Large Eagle close to station." On the 14th October, 18S7, a 

 Golden Eagle was sent to the National Museum in Dublin, from Clare 

 Island, by the late Captain Boxer (Plate I), and this seems to mark the 

 time of the disappearance of those birds, which have ceased to breed there ; 

 though, as McCabe states, one is occasionally seen on Croaghinore. 



Western Mayo contained many of the last strongholds of these birds, 

 several of which inhabited Ac-hill. The late Howard Saunders and 

 Ussher were there in 1898, and found them both on the Dooega cliffs and 

 Croaghaun; but they have now ceased to breed for some years, the last 

 having been seen in the spring of 1911. Another pair bred regularly on 

 the neighbouring Curraun Mountain, and others on Mweelrea, where the 

 last is stated to have been seen in March, 1911. 



The Xepbinbeg and Corslieve range was also a home of these Eagles, 

 as well as the north Mayo coast, where a solitary Golden Eagle survives, 

 and there is another survivor in Donegal. 



Accipiter nisus (Linn.). Spaeeow-Hawk. — Very uncommon on Clare Island 

 (McCabe); breeds regularly in Glendarary wood. Achill (A. Williams). 



