THE. BIRDS OF DONEGAL. 465 



. ' *Lesser Black-backed Gull, L.fuscus, Linn. — Breeds at 

 Horn Head and Slieve League. Not so frequently seen on 

 Lough Swilly as the last species, but also breeds, I think, at 

 Dunaff Head. 



Common or Great Skua, Lestris catarractes, Linn. — A pair of 

 these birds appeared in Lough Swilly in October, 1890, when there 

 was great fishing among the gulls. They broke up the " togher" 

 in approved fashion, and I watched their magnificent evolutions 

 amongst the gulls (chiefly Kittiwakes) with a telescope for some 

 time. I have seen them once or twice before, and a Ramelton 

 fowler (J. Griffin) saw one in the winter of 1880-81. I have 

 watched Eagles in the air many a time, and Falcons and Merlins 

 are familiar birds, but I know no performance on the wing at all 

 to compare with that of a couple of these ferocious tyrants 

 amongst a crowd of Kittiwakes. They inspire abject terror 

 amongst them at once, and all attempt at fishing is fairly 

 abandoned. The light-keeper at Fanet has seen Skuas (" Skaws ") 

 occasionally. He says they lie outside on the open sea, but come 

 near shore sometimes after fishing Gulls. I have learned that 

 one of these birds was obtained on an inland lough near Dawross 

 Bay, Ardara, by Major Johnson in 1890. 



Pomatorhine Skua, Stercorarius pomatorkinus, Temminck. — ■ 

 Mr. Holt, the naturalist attached to the Fishery Commissioners' 

 Survey steamer under the command of the Rev. W. Green, 

 obtained a specimen of this bird, which he kindly showed me, in 

 Donegal Bay, in May, 1891. 



Richardson's Skua, S. crepidatus, Gmelin. — One of these 

 birds was also obtained by Mr. Holt and shown to me. It 

 was shot in Sheepahven Bay, 1891. Other examples of both 

 species were observed. 



Buffon's Skua, S. parasiticus, Linn. — Mr. Jlolt saw what he 

 believed to be one of these birds in Sheephaven, May, 1891. 



*Manx Shearwater, Puffinus anglorum, Temminck. — Seen in 

 summer about Tory Island. Breeds at Aranmore. One killed 

 itself against the lighthouse at Fanet, in April, 1891. 



Great Shearwater, P. major, Faber. — I saw three of 

 these birds flying out of the mouth of Lough Swilly on the 

 19th May, 1890. Their flight, which I am well acquainted with, 

 is unmistakable. A gale was blowing at the time, and the manner 

 in which they followed each other, like automata, dipping into 



