344 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



BREEDING OF TREE-SPARROWS AND DUNLINS IN 



CO. MAYO. 



By Robert Warren. 



It is a very remarkable and interesting fact how steadily 

 many of our native birds are extending their breeding haunts 

 throughout the country, and into districts where a few years ago 

 none of the species had been ever met with as breeding birds. 

 For instance, Starlings, Common Gulls, Sandwich Terns, Sho- 

 veler Ducks, Tufted Ducks, Dunlins, and Tree- Sparrows ; but I 

 was nearly forgetting the Common Scoters breeding on Lough 

 Erne, while during summer Scaup-Ducks have been observed on 

 some of the Mayo lakes ; though as yet no nests have been dis- 

 covered, they probably will be in the future when searched for 

 with greater care. 



The Tree-Sparrows were first discovered in Co. Mayo by Mr. 

 Wallace near Belmullet, and later at Kilcummin, near Killala, 

 by Mr. C. Scroope, who, with his brother, again visited the 

 locality this summer, when they found them breeding in holes 

 in the old ruined walls of St. Cummin's Church (supposed to be 

 the oldest Christian church in the province of Connaught). 

 They counted fourteen or fifteen birds, old and young, some of 

 the latter having only just left their nests. Some time last 

 month Messrs. C. and G. Scroope, visiting the old ruined castle 

 of Castleconnor, observed a solitary individual about the ruins, 

 the first Tree-Sparrow ever seen in this part of Co. Sligo. This 

 species was also discovered last summer by Mr. N. H. Foster 

 breeding in Co. Londonderry, and this present summer by 

 Mr. J. M. McWilliam in Co. Donegal. A wide extension of its 

 breeding haunts since Mr. Blake Knox first discovered it as an 

 Irish breeding bird at Dalkey and Baldoyle, Co. Dublin, noted by 

 him in 'Zoologist,' 1870, p. 2018. 



This summer Dunlins have bred on a little marsh on the 



