NOTES AND QUERIES. 195 



couple, was seen by Mr. Daunt in a bog near Roberts Cove, half-way between 

 this and Kinsale Harbour. He shot one, and sent it to Mr. Daunt, 

 apothecary, in Cork. It is about a month killed ; the legs and beak begin 

 to turn black. Dr. Longfield has asked it, to send to Mr. Pennant. I claim 

 it for the Academy, or College Museum ; and if refused the whole bird, half 

 of it cut longitudinally, and each half glued on a board, would satisfy both 

 parties. If not the half, I claim the liberty of making a drawing. I am 

 afraid I shall succeed in neither unless Mr. Daunt, apothecary, is written to 

 in the name of the Academy " (Thirteenth Report, A pp. pt. viii. p. 227). 

 The colour of the soft parts points to the Buff-backed Heron having been the 

 species mentioned. The bird being in winter dress the buff plumes would 

 be absent. At all events, the note preserves the fact of one of the rarer 

 Herons having been killed in Ireland a hundred years ago. — H. A. 

 Macpherson (Carlisle). 



Wood Wren in Co. Donegal. — On May 8th three Wood Wrens were 

 singing close to my house, in larches and oaks. It is about fifteen years 

 since I heard the song in Ireland, then, as now, in Co. Donegal, but about 

 twelve miles south of this, at Glenalla, when I obtained a specimen, which 

 is preserved in the National Museum, Dublin. Since that outrage they 

 never returned to Glenalla to my knowledge. Years before that, in the 

 early seventies, I often heard the Wood Wren in Wicklow, at Derrybawn 

 and at Powerscourt; but of late years I have looked for them there in vain. 

 They always arrived in the first week of May, and twenty years ago used 

 to remain throughout the summer, probably or almost certainly breeding, 

 at Derrybawn. Other observers have, I believe, lately met with this 

 warbler, which is so rare in Ireland, and no doubt Mr. Ussher has full 

 statistics ; but, so far as my experience goes, the bird is getting scarcer 

 instead of commoner, as appears to be the case in Scotland. The Wood 

 Wren has also been met with in Mayo and Sligo. The song of the birds 

 I heard here was not fully uttered, the early high plaintive notes being 

 omitted, and only the latter double trill uttered, with a broken beginning; 

 but this is often the case.— H. Chichester Hart (Carrablagh, Portsalon, 

 Letterkenny). 



Wild Geese on Migration affected by Electricity.— In the « Revue 

 Scientifique ' of April 11th is a curious observation on this subject. On 

 March 10th, between 10.30 and 11 a.m., a large flock of Wild Geese, 

 travelling in triangular formation to the number of about 200, were 

 observed passing at a great height over the commune of La Reorthe 

 (Vendee), going northwards. On their way they encountered a thick black 

 cloud, though no wind was perceptible to the observer. As soon as the 

 Geese reached this cloud they were abruptly dispersed, and were seen to 

 divert their course in all directions in small parties of four or five, uttering 



