186 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



harbour, and, observing a ripple in the middle of smooth water, looked a 

 little closer, and observed what appeared to be the head of an eel swimming 

 towards the shore. To our surprise, it proved to be Mus sylvaticus, which 

 landed close to where we were lying concealed. — Ed.] 



Animals eating Yew. — I believe that the yew, Taxus baccata, develops 

 its noxious properties only when in a partially or wholly dried state, but 

 that when fresh it may be eaten by all animals with impunity. The fruit, 

 I believe, in its ordinary state, is harmless, and the seeds become poisonous 

 only when crushed. — H. Purefoy FitzGerald (North Hall, Basingstoke). 



BIRDS. 



Bare additions to the Irish Avifauna. — In October, 1890, Mr. 

 Richard Widdicombe, of Black Rock Lighthouse, Co. Mayo, sent me " two 

 strange birds " in the flesh, shot there on the 11th of that month. One 

 was a Kestrel, and the other a Short-toed Lark, Alauda brachydactyla. 

 This is the first occasion on which the Short-toed Lark has been recorded 

 from Ireland. On Oct. 20th, 1890, Mr. W. H. James shot, on the Fearaght 

 Rock, a small bird, which he sent to me supposing it to be a Garden 

 Warbler : it proved, however, to be a Red-breasted Flycatcher, Muscicapa 

 parva. The only other occurrence of this species in Ireland, so far as 

 has been ascertained, was on Oct. 23rd, 1887, at the Arklow South Light- 

 ship. I have both specimens. On Oct. 1st, 1890, at 4 p.m., wind light, 

 S.W., Mr. W. H. James, light-keeper on the Fearaght Rock, off Kerry, 

 shot a Lesser Whitethroat, Sylvia curruca, and forwarded it to me in the 

 flesh. This species has long been looked for by Irish ornithologists. A 

 Mealy Redpoll, Linota linaria, was shot on the Fearaght Rock, on Sept. 

 20th, 1890, and forwarded to me in the flesh, by the light-keeper, Mr. W. 

 H. James. It is now in my collection, and is the second Irish recorded 

 specimen. The following letter, dated Oct. 17th, 1890, was received from 

 Mr. W. H. James, the careful and intelligent light-keeper on the Fearaght 

 Rock, nine miles due W. of Kerry, and the most westerly land in Europe : 



« I forward a very small bird with this, shot by my son on the 14th 



inst., at 10.45 a.m., wind N.N.W., force 3 ; blue sky to cloudy. It was 

 first observed on a marsh-mallow bush, as if seeking for insects. It then 

 flew to some rocks behind the dwellings, where it was shot. The only 

 bird I can find in the books to answer it is what is called a Dalmatian 

 Regulus. I weighed it, and it only weighed 1 drachm 11 scruples. It is 

 the smallest bird T ever saw. I put it in spirits at once after getting it. 

 I have entered it in the notes as a supposed Dalmatian Regulus ; say if I 

 am right." With this letter came the first Irish Yellow-browed Warbler, 

 Phylloscopus super ciliosus. The " marsh-mallow bush " was no doubt a 

 plant of Lavatera arborea, several specimens of which grow on this wild 

 and jagged rock, GO'i feet high (see my ■ Floru of the Blasket Islands '). 



