THE GREEN COHMOUANT. 251 



Swaulinbar, in the county of Cavan, under Ben Eaclilin, and 

 nearly thirty EngHsh miles from the sea. The lad who caught 

 the specimen stated that it was accompanied by four more birds 

 of the same kind. It was quite strong, and fed well on fish. 

 On the 16th of September that year, the other individual, an 

 immature female, obtained near Eiorence Court, about twenty 

 miles inland, was sent to me. I have very lately learned from 

 the Eev. G. Robinson, who resides near Lough Neagh, that the 

 green cormorant habitually frequents that great sheet of water, 

 where he has not, however, seen more than two in company, or 

 more than that number in one day ; — they were generally sun- 

 ning themselves on some of the islands when observed. 



M'Skimmin, in 1823, mentions this bird, as well as the com- 

 mon cormorant, breeding at the Gobbins, but both are believed 

 to have relinquished the locality for that purpose. I have known 

 the species under consideration to be killed there during the 

 breeding season ; and at other times in the neighbouiing marine 

 lough of Larne. 



Much the best account we have of this bird in any breeding- 

 haunt on the coast of Ireland, is from Dr. J. D. Marshall, who 

 informs us, in his published memoir, that about the 1st of July, 

 1834 — "We found this corvorant (P. cristatus) in pairs, fre- 

 quenting the numerous caves with which the northern and western 

 shores of Eathhn are indented. They formed their nests on the 

 high ledges of rock, almost toucliing the summit of the caves ; 

 the nest was composed of fuci of various kinds, matted and plas- 

 tered together; the eggs were of a bluish-green colour. We 

 sometimes, by good management, entered the caves ere the corvo- 

 rants had left, and at such times we found them sitting, with the 

 neck and head thrust over the ledge of the rock, looking down on 

 the boat as it made its way to the inner extremity of the cave. 

 On firing our guns, they would drop into the water as if they had 

 been shot, and, with great expertness, dive under the boat, and 

 make then- way out to sea. This species seemed much more 

 numerous than the common cormorant (P. carlo). " 



The gamekeeper at Horn Head stated in 1832, that the green 



