86 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 



After which was read the following paper : — 



Natural History Notes in April, 1866 (County Mayo). By G. H. 

 Kinahan, F.R. G.S.I. 



The month just passed away has been remarkable for the sudden 

 changes from warm summer days to those of frost, sleet, and cold. These 

 changes have affected vegetation, as the buds on the trees are now only 

 bursting open. 



The Rooks (Corvus frugilegus) are only now building, though gene- 

 rally they are hatching in this month. 



The Wheatears (Saxicola cenanthe) seem to have come at their usual 

 time, as I observed them in the neighbourhood of Kilmaine on the 9th 

 of the month. 



Also the Swallows (Hirundo urbicd), as they were remarked on the 

 19th, north-east of Hollymount ; but some of the migratory birds are 

 still lingering in the country. 



Flocks of the Golden Plover {Pluvialis awed) are numerous, and 

 Wild Geese are still to be seen. 



On the 1 7th a flock of seventeen "Wild Geese was observed in a bog 

 near Belmullet. On the 18th I saw a single bird in the bogs about 

 halfway between "Westport and Ballinrobe, and nine birds by the river 

 Robe, about halfway between Hollymount and Claremorris. On the 

 19 th a small flock was observed flying near Castlebar, and on the same 

 day nineteen were seen flying over Swineford. The Geese which I 

 observed were not the common Wild Geese, as they were much smaller, 

 had shorter heads, white speckled breasts, and also had conspicuous 

 white faces with red patches on them. Prom these facts I am inclined 

 to think they must have been the Red-necked Barnacle Goose {Bernicla 

 ruficollis). The birds I saw were very tame. The single bird, when 

 first observed, was about 200 yards in the bog on the north of the road, 

 and as the car approached it rose, flew acros to the south side, and lit 

 among some turf by the side of Lough Nacorralea. There it remained 

 while we passed within 150 yards of it, and the white and red marks 

 on its head were quite visible to the naked eye. The flock of nine, on 

 the River Robe, let the car pass within 200 yards of them without ever 

 rising ; they were of the same kind as the single bird. The flocks at 

 Castlebar and Swineford may have been one and the same flock, on 

 their flight towards the north-east, as it was early in the day (before 

 nine a. m.) that they were seen at Castlebar. My informant from 

 Swineford remarked that the birds seen by him were flying very low, 

 and that they were so small, that at first he did not think they were 

 "Wild Geese. Perhaps some observer may have seen these Geese farther 

 north, and be able to say whether my surmise about their species is cor- 

 rect, or not. 



Mr. A. G. More was disposed rather to think those referred to by 

 Mr. Kinahan may have been more likely the Laughing Goose or "White- 

 fronted Goose. 



