TREE-SPARROWS AND DUNLINS IN CO. MAYO. 345 



island of Bartragh, of some ten or twelve acres in extent, and 

 situated between the sand-hills and the estuary sands. The 

 marsh is covered chiefly by a short sedge, having a few clumps 

 of rushes on the wettest parts. Up to the present discovery no 

 Dunlins had ever been known to breed or were seen on this 

 marsh in summer, its only denizens being Lapwings, and when 

 searching for the nests of the latter the marsh has been 

 walked over in all directions for many years past up to August, 

 1901. Since that date — also that of the death of my much 

 regretted and valued young friend the late Mr. A. C. Kirk- 

 wood — it has not been searched for nests. But it is evident 

 that it is some time subsequent to that year that the Dunlins 

 have come to the marsh, for previous to the present dis- 

 covery their nearest breeding haunt was a wide extent of flat 

 wet bog on the Glenmore Estate, near Crossmolina, Co. Mayo, 

 twelve to fifteen miles from the sea, on which a few pairs 

 were observed, but only one nest with eggs, found by Mr. 

 J. F. Darling on May 17th, 1882. It was by the merest chance 

 their haunt was discovered, for on July 1st I accompanied 

 Mr. Scroope and his brother in my boat to Bartragh, to visit 

 the great Arctic Tern haunt at the end of the island, and 

 when proceeding there Mr. Scroope, walking through the marsh, 

 flushed a Dunlin from the sedge, but after half an hour's search 

 failed in finding a nest. We then went on down to the Terns, 

 which we found as numerous as ever, at least a thousand pairs 

 having eggs or young. 



On our return, Mr. Scroope, again walking through the marsh, 

 flushed the Dunlin, but after a long search again failed to find 

 the nest. 



Thus, so far, our search was a failure, but, not wishing to 

 be beaten, I suggested trying Wolley's plan of dragging a rope 

 held by two persons along the ground, others walking behind to 

 mark when any birds rose from the rope as it passed over them. 

 Captain Kirkwood, kindly lending a rope, we set to work, making 

 a sweep along one side of the marsh, but without result. Turn- 

 ing, we made another sweep alongside the first, and had not 

 gone thirty yards when a bird rose from a nest and four eggs, 

 almost from under Captain Kirkwood's feet, after the rope passed 

 over it. Taking the eggs, we continued the sweep, and not 



