22 Nevin H. Foster on 



ANNOTATED IJST OF THE BIRDS OF HILLSBOROUOFI. 



The order and nomenclature here adopted is that of 

 the B.O.U. List, 2nd Edition, 1915. 



Order PASSE RI FORMES. 



Family CORVID.^:. 



[Corvus corax. Llnne. Ravkk. 



Local tradition asserts tliat the Raven fornierlj' bred in Hillsbovouf^h 

 Park, but no reference to this can be fonnd in anj' authoritative work. 

 It is possible that this statement should be referable to the following- 

 species.] 



Corvus cornix LhuK'. Hooded Crow. 



Thompson states* that grey crows bred on a wooded islet in Lougli 

 Aghery. This may be taken as authentic, l>ut for many years past this 

 bird has not been seen in the district. 



Corvus monedula Limit. Jackdaw. 



Resident and common, usually breeding in disused chinnieys, Imt 

 often in trees, particularly those clothed with ivy. Numbers formerly 

 l)red in I'abbit holes in Hillsborough Park.t Average size of eggs 34'39 x 

 '25 '66 mm. ; average weight of full eggs ll'Ol gi>, of empty shells "8 gr. 



Corvus frugilegus Linne. Rook. 



Resident and common. Several rookeries occur in the district, the 

 largest of which contains annually about 120 nests. Average size of eggs 

 39 '29 X 27 97 mm. ; average weight of full eggs 1(5 "07 gr., of empty shells 

 1 -O-to gr. 



Pica pica {Linni). Magpie. 



This bird was first observed in Ireland towards the end of the 17th 

 century but is now resident all through the countiy as obtains in this 

 district. The nest is usually placed in the upper pait of a tall tree but 

 the bird also utilises high Whitethorn {Crato'gus Oxyacavtha) hedges. 

 From such a situation a nest now in the Belfast Municipal Museum was 

 obtained. When fresh taken this nest weighed over 70 lbs. Average size 

 of eggs 33"53 x 23*62 mm. ; average weight of full eggs 9'7fi gr., of empty 

 shells -5958 gr. 



Qarruius garrulus hibernicus. Withtrhy cO Hartert. Ikish Jay. 



'J'he Jay can only be regarded as an occasional wanderer to tlie 

 district. A pair was observed in tlie Demesne about 1900, and a single 

 bird in the same place in Decembei', 1907. 



Nat. Jllsf. of Iidmifl \'ol. 11, p. 14(;. 

 i Saf. nut. 1,1 IirhriHl. Vol. I, ii. '.VH. 



