DUBLIN NATUEAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 113 



A LIST OF THE BIRDS OF PREY, PERCHERS, AND WADERS, OBSERYED TO 

 FREQ,I7ENT THE DISTRICTS OF MAYO, AND SLIGO, WHICH BOEDER ON 

 KILLALA. BY EOBEET WAEEEN, JUN., COEEESPONDING MEMBEE. 



[Read February 7, 1862.] 



Sea Eagle {Aquila alhicilla.) — I have occasionally seen during winter; 

 and in December, 1851, I shot a fine specimen of this bird on the sand 

 hills of Bartra, Killala Bay. 



Peregrine Falcon {Falco peregrinus). — Is resident, and breeds on the 

 high cliffs along the coast. 



Merlin {Falco mmloii). — Is resident and common. 



Kestrel {Falco tinnwiculiis)). — Is very common, and breeds amongst 

 the ruins of the numerous old castles and abbeys scattered through the 

 country. 



Sparrow-hawk {Aceip. nisus). — Is very common in the well- wooded 

 districts. A singular instance of their impatience of hunger has come 

 under my notice. In the summer of 1857, a pair built a nest on a 

 larch, in a plantation near the dwelling-house, at Moyview, and reared 

 four young ones, which I was in the habit of looking at very frequently : 

 when they were nearly fledged, on one day that I visited the nest, I only 

 saw three birds, and, on making a closer search, I found the leg of the 

 missing bird, clean picked, in the bottom of the nest, and the other 

 leg lying at the foot of the tree. This was pretty fair evidence of the 

 missing bird having been devoured by his companions. 



Buzzard {Buteo vulgaris) Is very rare ; I have only seen it on two 



occasions. 



Marsh Harrier (C. ceruginosus). — I cannot with certainty say I have 

 seen; but, when snipe shooting, I have occasionally seen bii-ds which may 

 have been of this species. 



Hen Harrier {C. cyaneus). — Is rare is this locality; I have seen but 

 one old male. 



Long-eared Owl ( Otus vulgaris). — Is resident in the wooded dis- 

 tricts. 



Short-eared Owl {Otus hr achy otus). — Is a winter visitant to the 

 heaths and mountains. 



White Owl {Strix jlammea). — Resident, and common. 



"Water Ouzel {Cinclus aquaticus.) — Is resident, and frequents the re- 

 tired rocky streams. 



Missel Thrush [Merula viscivora) l^oi so numerous as in the south 



of Ireland. 



Fieldfare (Merula pilaris). — Is a regular winter visitant. 



Common Thrush {Merula vulgaris). — Is plentiful, and resident. 



Redwing {Merula iliaca) — Is a regular winter visitant. 



Blackbird {Merula nigra). — !N'umerous in the wooded districts. 



Hedge Sparrow {Accentor modularis). — Is common, and resident. 



Redbreast {Erythaca ruiecula). — Very common. 



Stonechat {Saxicola ruhicola). — Common, and resident. 



