BIRDS OP THE ISLE OF MAW 97 



recess in a grassy brow at the top of a great precipice. Another 

 nesting-place is in a wild and terrific situation on the east side of 

 the island, in the thinly ivied side of a cliff, above an almost inac- 

 cessible strand, and a third in a very similar spot in the south. 



Kestrel, F. tinnunculus. — Abundant in Man, frequenting the 

 coast for breeding purposes. I have never heard of the nest being 

 found in a tree or building here, and the eggs are always laid in 

 a mere scraping on some rocky shelf, usually more or less shaded 

 by ivy or other foliage, exactly as Sir W. Jardine has described 

 the haunts of the bird in his district. The same deep gully or 

 recess, with broken sides, is resorted to year after year. 



Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus. — Although, where a coast 

 similar to ours occurs, the Sparrowhawk has been described as 

 sometimes nesting on rocks, with us trees are always chosen. 

 The bird is fairly distributed here. 



Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, and Shag, P. graculus. — 

 Both these birds are common, especially the latter. The Shag 

 breeds abundantly in some places, but not, so far as I have 

 observed, in the interior of caverns, as described elsewhere. 



Gannet, Sula bassana. — From May to September we frequently 

 see Gannets off our coast, and no doubt they are common further 

 out to sea at this season. 



Heron, Ardea cinerea. — In almost every part of the island a 

 Heron on the wing, or stationary among the tide-pools or by 

 some reach in a lonely stream, is a familiar sight. They are to 

 be seen at all seasons. On one occasion (Oct. 30th, 1890) I saw 

 no less than eighteen together on the Santon cliffs. The Heron 

 is known here as " Crane," or sometimes by the Manx, " Coar- 

 ny-hastan" (Eel-crane). 



Sheldrake, Tadorna cornuta. — Though not common, a few 

 appear in certain localities in winter, and a pair is even said to 

 have bred at Langness in 1891. 



Eock Dove, Columba livia. — Formerly bred in the caverns 

 along the coast, but now appears to be extinct. 



Coot, Fulica atra. — In the neighbourhood of Douglas, at least, 

 this is a scarce bird, although a few are resident on a pool at a 

 little distance. 



Golden Plover, Charadrias pluvialis. — So far as I have 

 observed, this is a winter bird only in Man, though suitable 

 breeding-places are plentiful. 



ZOOLOGIST. — MARCH, 1893. I 



