KINAHAN NATURAL HISTORY NOTES. 25 



the islands ; large Grey Seagulls, three or four pairs, were remarked ; 

 Black-headed Gulls (Zarus ridibundus), two or three pairs. These 

 last named seem to breed freely in the small lakes scattered through 

 the county of Mayo, more especially in the neighbourhood of Ballae; 

 for in the latter end of June and beginning of July numbers of broods 

 generally with four or five in each) were observed of an evening 

 hovering over the grass lands, picking up the slugs. Common Tern 

 {Sterna Hirundo), five or six pairs. The boatmen on the lake say that 

 in some years they are in great numbers ; that they come to the lake in 

 April, lay their eggs in May, and, with their young ones, leave in July, 

 and are not again seen till the following April. I myself saw a flock of 

 five so late as the 28th of July. 



In Barratliva, about five miles north-west of Oughterard, I was 

 fortunate enough to stumble on a station for Polypodium Phegopteris. 

 Here it grows rather freely on the face of a low gneiss cliff that looks 

 to the north-east. 



In the same townland, about half a mile west of the station, Cys- 

 topteris fragilis grows very abundantly on the white foliated lime- 

 stones ; and although it is so plentiful in this place}'etl did not remark 

 it anywhere else in the neighbourhood, although the limestone occurs 

 in various places. It grows freely on the other side of Lough Corrib, in 

 the vicinity of Cong. 



Near where the lesser Horse-shoe Bats were found (Danesfort Wood) 

 there is a good station for Hymenophyllum Wilsoni ; and at Learn, about 

 four miles west of Oughterard, H. Tunhridgense grows very freely. The 

 station for the H. Wilsoni is on white granite, and has an eastern 

 aspect : that for the H. Tunhridgense is on gneiss, and has a northern 

 aspect. 



[Since the above was read, H, Wilsoni and Tunhridgense have 

 been found in various places in Glanmore, especially in the wood. A 

 large station for P. Phegopteris was also found in the same locality, due 

 south of Doon Wood ; and farther west, on the hill of Lissoughter, a good 

 station foT Asplenium viride. G. H. K.] 



Mr. A. G. More remarked, that it would be a singular and interest- 

 ing circumstance if the Sheldrake should be found to breed on a fresh- 

 water lake, as its nest is usually found on the sandhills of the sea coast 

 only, and the bird itself is very seldom seen on fresh water. It might 

 be conjectured that the bird observed by Mr. Kinaban was probably the 

 Bed-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator, Linn.), which is in many 

 places called by the local name of " Scale Duck," or " Shell Duck," 

 and is known to breed on several of the Irish lakes. The Golden-eye 

 Duck {Clangula glaucion) breeds in hollow trees, and it is very doubtful 

 whether the nest has ever been found within the limits of Great Bri- 

 tain. It is a bird that remains with us until late in spring ; but, as 

 with many other species, the fact of its being observed in pairs pre- 

 vious to its migration is not sufficient proof of its breeding. It would 

 be desirable to know whether the large Grey Gull be the Herring Gull, 



vol. v. e 



