OBNITHOLOGICAL NOTES FROM DONEGAL. 91 



anglorum) ; these latter were fairly numerous, and, as it was the 

 first time I had seen them in their native haunts, I was very 

 pleased, more especially when their identity was set at rest by one 

 of the boatmen producing some of their eggs which he had taken 

 the previous season. Rock-Pigeons (Columba livia) were breed- 

 ing in large numbers in the numerous caves on the east coast ; 

 in one cave in particular they were so numerous that, on entering, 

 I sank almost to the knee in their droppings. These caves are 

 visited periodically by the islanders, who take the guano away in 

 bags, and either use it on their own potato -patch or sell it on the 

 mainland. On the west of the island, where the cliffs are some 

 500 ft. sheer down to the sea, Shags (Phalacrocorax graculus) 

 were nesting in every conceivable fissure in the rocks. With 

 glasses you could see the young birds straining their necks over 

 the edges of their nests. I was fortunate to get a good view of a 

 pair of Peregrines (Falco peregrinus) as they flew out from the 

 cliffs uttering their screaming cry. One of the light-keepers told 

 me that three pairs nested on the island this year, and that he 

 had taken the young birds from one of the eyries. 



Herring-Gulls (Larus argentatus) have a station at Rintaross 

 Point, and were breeding there in large numbers. 



At Roanish, a small rocky island to the south of Aranmore, 

 Storm-Petrels (Procellaria pelagica) were breeding in even larger 

 numbers than on Rathlin O'Birne ; they are quite unmolested 

 there, as there is no lighthouse station on the island. 



During a fishing expedition on Dungloe Lake (July 10th) I 

 had the good fortune to make my first acquaintance with the Red- 

 throated Diver (Colymbus septentrionalis). The bird was seen 

 circling overhead by my boatman (who was well acquainted with 

 the species), as if going to alight, but on seeing us it took alarm, 

 and made for a small mountain lough further up, where a pair 

 have nested for years. The boatman informed me he has taken 

 the eggs from this lough for several seasons, where the nest is 

 placed on a small islet, and, as there is no boat, one has to swim 

 out to it. This year he took the first and second clutches of 

 eggs, and allowed the third to be incubated, and on one occasion 

 he took three clutches, but still the poor birds were undaunted, 

 and laid a fourth. He says one egg is always addled ; I think it 

 is little wonder after such persecution, and have no doubt if the 



