DITBLIN NATTTEAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 3 



currence of the undermentioned Birds, which are, according to my per- 

 sonal observation, of rare occurrence either in the counties of SHgo or 

 Mayo : — 



" Black-tailed godwit {Limosa melanura). — One observed late in last 

 March on the sands near the Island Bartra, on the Moy. A pair were 

 observed about three years previously, in the winter, near the same place. 



" Great shearwater {Puffinus major). — One in immature plumage 

 was washed in dead (but quite fresh) on the north coast of Mayo, be- 

 tween Downpatrick Head and Ballycastle, on the 22nd of last August. 



" Black tern {Sterna nigra). — Three birds were observed on the 12th 

 of last October, near the mouth of the Moy, between Bartra and the 

 sand-banks on the Sligo side of the river. My attention was first drawn 

 to them by their very peculiar style of flight when hawking after insects 

 near the surface of the water ; and the very rapid short twists and turns 

 which they made on the wing caused me to think at first that they were 

 some young birds at play; howe-ver, after observing them for some time, 

 I could not make out to what species they belonged, and in order to sa- 

 tisfy myself as to their identity I shot a pair, when I at once saw that 

 they were the black tern. It is not improbable that they may have been 

 bred on some of the many unexplored mountain and bog lakes of Mayo ; 

 but, as far as my observation goes, they are exceedingly rare, never 

 having seen but one other bird of the species in this neighbourhood, 

 although I keep a pretty sharp look-out for such visitants. 



" Hawfinch {Coccothraustes vulgaris). — A fine specimen of this bird 

 paid us a visit on the 2 1st November, and regaled himself on the scarlet 

 berries of a creeper attached to the wall of the house ; his tameness was 

 surprising, for the shrub on which he fed was within a foot of the par- 

 lour window, and close to the front door, and he allowed me to approach 

 within four or five feet, from which distance I was enabled to observe 

 him for some minutes while feeding. 



" I would also wish to record the occurrence of the Oblong Sunfish 

 ( OrtJiagoriscus oUongus) on the north coast of Mayo, near Downpatrick 

 Head. On the 22nd of last August I went with some friends to view 

 the scenery of the Head and adjacent coast from a boat, as it looks much 

 finer from the water ; and as we were rowing, about a quarter of a mile 

 fi'om the shore, I observed what I thought was the dorsal fin of a shark 

 appearing over the water, about twenty yards from the boat, but, on ap- 

 proaching nearer, it proved to be the hind fin of a sunfish ; and as he 

 was rolling along, sometimes on the top of the water, a friend who was 

 with me (Dr. Ford) fired, and put a rifle-baU nearly through the centre 

 of the fish's body, but, owing to the awkwardness of the boatmen, we 

 were unable to secure him before he sank. He was about four and a half 

 feet long, and agreed in appearance with the drawing in Yarrell. 



" I remain yours sincerely, 



"RoBEiiT "Waeeen, Jun." 



