Clare Island Survey — Aves. 20 33 



Phasianus colchicus, Linn. Pheasant. — Eesident in "Westport demesne and 

 Glendarary, Achill, but when not hand-fed is a mere straggler, as, for 

 example, near Louisburgh. 



Perdix cinerea, Lath. Partridge.— A few eovies have been met with on 

 Achill before 1890, but they are generally absent from the islands, 

 and are getting scarce even in the Westport district and around 

 Ballina as in most parts of Ireland. 



Coturnix communis, Bonn. Quail. — One was killed at Dugort in 1910 

 (A. Williams). Good says it is years since he saw one in the Westport 

 district, though before 1850 one might shoot six to ten brace in the day 

 (T. J. Browne). Similar evidence has come from western Donegal and 

 the Dingle peninsula, where they were common fifty or sixty years ago, 

 but are now apparently extinct. 



Crex pratensis, Bechst. Corn-Crake . — Very common on Clare Island where 

 it breeds, and has been met with in winter (M'Cabe). Also common on 

 Achill and the Mullet, around Westport and south of Clew Bay, on 

 I nishbofin and the Aran Islands ; indeed this bird is nowhere more in 

 evidence than on the western islands and adjacent coasts. It has been 

 noticed near Killybegs ciaking in the open. Inishtrahull, Eathlin O'Birne, 

 Black Bock, Mayo, the Tearaght, Skelligs, and Bull Bock have all been 

 visited, the last in . November. : 



Rallus aquaticus, Linn. Water-Bail. — Eesident on Clare Island, Achill, 

 the Mullet, and round Y/estport, and breeds in every county in Ireland. 

 Its migratory occurrences at lighthouses from September to January are 

 discussed in Barrington's "Migration of Birds." He has up to 1911 

 received thirty -eight specimens from light-stations, more than of any 

 other species that is not passerine ; and he says that many of our Water- 

 Bails evidently arrive in autumn by a route that tends to land them 

 on the west coast, from which more than half the specimens sent him 

 have come. Water-Bails have arrived along with Snow Buntingsand Purple 

 Sandpipers, and these facts suggest to him that they may have come 

 when returning from 1ST. Europe and Iceland. Three specimens from 

 Clare Island were shot during the migration months, October, November, 

 and December. 



Gallinula chloropus (Linn.). Water-hen. — Some are resident and breed on 

 the small lakes in Clare Island, Achill, Inishturk, Inishbofin, and the 

 Aran Islands. Moor-hens are common on the mainland of Mayo ; and 

 stray birds have wandered to Inishtrahull, Black Eock (Mayo), and the 



B,I,A. PROC, VOL. XXXI, E 20 



