46 DUBLIN NATTJKAL HISTOKY SOCIETY. 



Kinahan's specimen was found burrowing in coarse granite sand, near 

 the battery, Sandycove, at extreme low water. In the sands of the 

 zostera banks, Syrinx granulosus f {If Coy) occurs plentifully. Dublin 

 Bay specimens of Fortunus arcuatus and Galatliea nexa, the latter an 

 addition to the list, were exhibited, as also specimens of Synapta in- 

 hcBrens, which were shown to be identical with the figures and details in 

 the "Zoologica Danica." 



The Meeting then adjourned. 



FRIDAY EVENING, MAY 13, 1860. 

 William Andrews, M. E. I. A., President, in the Chair. 

 The previous Minutes were read and signed. 

 The HoNOKAET Seceetaey read the following : — 



NOTES ON THE COE-MOEANTS IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OP CASTLECONNELL. 

 BY G. HENEY KINAHAN, C. E., COEEESPONDING MEMBEE. 



In reply to your queries concerning the habits of the cormorants in the 

 neighbourhood of Castleconnell, especialty as to their roosting on trees, 

 the following, which I copy from my diary, may interest some of your 

 members ; you may, therefore, lay them before your Society at its next 

 meeting. The^^ chiefly bear on the partial migration of these birds. 



E'ov. 2, 1859. — Eemarked a cormorant flying over the Shannon, a 

 short distance above the Leap of Donass. When observed, it was flying 

 as if to alight among the trees on a small island there situated, but 

 when near the trees it suddenly turned, as if afraid to pitch among 

 them ; I had not seen a cormoraat in this neighbourhood previously. 

 Immediately after seeing the bii'd, I met one of the water-bailifli's, who 

 informed me that in the winter they always come here from Derry on 

 Lough Derrig, where they spend the summer to feed on the eels, and 

 that at night they roost on the trees in the above-mentioned island. 



JSTov. 16. — Saw a cormorant roosting on a branch of a poplar tree in 

 the island above the Leap. 



Jan. 19, 1860. — Four or five cormorants every evening for the last 

 fortnight roost on the island above the Ijcap. 



Jan. 28. — Six cormorants are now to be seen on the trees of an 

 evening. 



Jan. 24. — Seven cormorants this evening were at the island, one of 

 which is evidently a new-comer, as, while I was there, he made six 

 attempts to alight on the branches, without succeeding. It was very 

 curious to watch him. His first attempt was unsuccessful, as he came 

 up as if to alight on a clifi", and over he went, performing two or three 

 summersets in the air ; the second attempt had a similar result ; the third 

 succeeded, so far that he remained on the branch for a second, when he 

 toppled over ; as he fell, he seized the branch in his bill, and hung on 

 in that position for more than five minutes, during all which time he 



