158 [i'roc. B.N.F.C. 



inhabitants now being the starlings and jackdaws, which find 

 secure nesting-places among the chinks afforded by its ruined 

 walls, on which was also observed that rather rare plant the 

 pellitory of the wall {Parietaria officinalis). Several cameras 

 were employed, and views of the Abbey from different stand- 

 points taken, and a resolution was passed calling attention to 

 the overgrowth of ivy, which threatens to destroy the ruins. 

 We were called to resume our drive across the Ards Peninsula 

 to Ballywalter, where by kind permission of Lady Dunleath, 

 we were conducted over her celebrated aviary, containing a 

 fine collection of living birds from all quarters of the globe, 

 among which are included canaries, whydaks, tanagers, 

 saffron, zebra, bull, gold, indigo, mountain, grey African, 

 Bengalese, painted and gouldian finches, spice birds, golden- 

 breasts, silver-bills, avadavats, Indian bulbuls, waxbills, cut- 

 throats, nuns, doves, lemon-crested and rosy-breasted 

 cockatoos, red-rumped, half-moon, and Indian green 

 parakeets, cockateels, silver and golden pheasants, Californian 

 quails, zebra doves, red-crested, green and Pope's cardinals, 

 Virginian nightingales, weaver birds, nonpareils, silky 

 cowbirds, American mocking birds, Nicobar pigeons, Peking 

 robins, rheas, cranes, flamingoes, wild-ducks, sheld-ducks, 

 Canada geese, peafowl, and Guinea fowl ; the brilliant colouring 

 and graceful movements of some of these birds eliciting many 

 expressions of admiration. The arrangements of the aviary 

 for the comfort and well-being of the inhabitants were favour- 

 ably commented on, and we were pleased to learn that only 

 one or two of them had suffered during the winter, provision 

 being made for keeping the houses, to which the birds can 

 retire at will from their netting-enclosed forest demesne, at a 

 suitable temperature; our only regret being that the time at 

 our disposal was so short (the ornithological members of the 

 party maintaining that weeks of study would not exhaust its 

 interest) ; and as we resumed our places in the vehicles 

 we noted the nests of the martins under the house-eaves, 

 and were soon en route for the quaint and picturesque 

 Dunleath Arms Inn. Here we were entertained to tea by 



