THE BIRDS OF DONEGAL, 379 



Migration of Irish Birds, 1887). In July, 1891, I noticed Swifts 

 about the summits of the Bluestack Mountains and Slieve League. 

 I also saw them in similar situations on Innishowen on the east 

 side of the county. A pair visited a cave this year below my 

 house on Lough Svvilly as if to look for a breeding place. 

 Possibly next year they may nest therei n company with the 

 Martins. 



* Nightjar, Caprimulgus europceus,~Linn. — Very rare in Donegal. 

 Mr. Leake, formerly of Greencastle, in Innishowen, heard one at 

 that place about ten years ago. The Nightjar breeds at Lough 

 Eske, near the town of Donegal, and its eggs have been taken 

 (A. Brooke). On Aug. 17th, 1888, I heard a Nightjar at Fahan 

 on the east (Innishowen) side of Lough Swilly. Mr. Brooke has 

 known Nightjars to breed for three years at Lough Eske. 



*Wood Pigeon, Columba palumbus, Linn. — Common and 

 resident. 



*Rock Pigeon, C. livia, Temminck. — Resident and abundant. 

 They consort with domesticated pigeons occasionally, the latter 

 having become feral. In winter I have seen the two feeding 

 and flying together, and one or two irregularly marked birds 

 frequent caves at Carrablagh in company with the Rock Pigeon. 



*Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus, Linn. — Resident where pro- 

 tected. 



*Red Grouse, Tetrao scoticus, Latham. — Resident, and would 

 doubtless be numerous, if generally preserved. Mr. Brooke shot 

 one, weighing 29 oz., near Killybegs. 



[Ptarmigan, T. lagopus. — These birds have been turned out more 

 than once in Donegal, in the hope of acclimatizing them. Some 

 ten or fifteen birds were tried not many years ago in Innishowen, 

 but they soon disappeared. The mountains are not stony enough. 

 Similarly the Black Cock has been tried, it is said in Antrim, 

 but never with any success.] 



^Partridge, Perdix cinerea, Latham. — Resident, but nowhere 

 abundant. In Fanet Partridges were much more plentiful twenty 

 years ago than they are now. The same remark applies to many 

 other parts of the county. Partridges prefer potato-fields to 

 turnips in this county : a favourite food of theirs is the Persicary 

 (Polygonum persicaria), which is here usually met with in the 

 potato crops. 



Quail, Cotumix vulgaris, Fleming. — I have never met with 



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