THE BIRDS OF DONEGAL. 299 



[Spotted Eagle, Aquila ncevia, Gmel. — One mentioned by 

 Thompson, was obtained at Horn Head. Probably a mistake.] 



*Merlin, F. asalon, Gmel.— Met with, but sparingly, on the 

 moors throughout the county. It breeds, I believe, both at 

 Glenalla and Carrablagh, though I have not found the nest. At 

 the latter place, however, in early summer, I have seen Merlins 

 striking down Yellowhammers and Titlarks after most interesting 

 flights. The Merlin is by no means uncommon in the south-west 

 of the county. Breeds on the moors near Lough Divna, to the 

 north of Carrick. Eggs have been taken near Pettigo by Sir 

 John Leslie's keeper. 



*Kestrel, F. tinnunculus, Linn. — Breeds in the sea-cliffs in 

 many places, but rare, or absent, in winter. 



*Sparrowhawk, Accipiter nisus, Linn. — Commoner than the 

 last-named, and resident throughout the year. 



Common Buzzard, Buteo vulgaris, Leach.— About Donegal, 

 and between that and Ballyshannon, in the summer of 1883, 1 saw 

 several of these birds. At Glenalla, till about 1880, I used 

 to see them annually in summer, but recently I have seldom 

 observed them. In 1883 I saw several Buzzards on the Mourne 

 Mountains, in the Co. Down. Mr. Stewart, in 1830, described 

 the Buzzard as " common and resident." 



Hen Harrier, Circus cyaneus, Linn. — I have only once seen 

 this bird in Donegal— one in June, 1888— on the moor above 

 Dunlewy, near Gweedore. 



Snowy Owl, Nyctea nivea, Daudin. — One, a female bird in 

 the second year's plumage, was obtained by the light-keeper on 

 Innistrahull, off Malin Head, on Nov. 19th, 1882. It is preserved 

 in the National Museum, Dublin. 



Eagle Owl, Strix bubo, Linn.— About sixty years ago an 



Eagle Owl was captured alive in a potato-field at Glenalla, and 



kept in confinement some days. This circumstance has often 



been narrated to me by my father and uncle who then lived there 



\ as young people. My aunt, who was a very accurate old lady, 



: had a distinct recollection of the tall, upright ear-tufts. The late 



I Mr. J. V. Stewart, of Ards, stated that four of the " Great Eared 



1 Owl, S. bubo" visited his neighbourhood in 1820—1830 in a 



storm from the north. From the circumstance of their coming 



with a snow-storm from the north, Mr. More believes them to 



I have been Snowy Owls. But Mr. Stewart, in 1832, distinctly 



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