, 
174 NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF DUBLIN. 
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1868. 
The Rev. Professor O’Manony, M. A., M. R.I. A., in the Chair. 
The Minutes of the preceding Meeting were read and confirmed. 
F. Y. Brocas, Esq., 4, Mill-street, Hanover-square, London, recom- 
mended by the Council, was declared elected a corresponding member 
of the society. 
After which was read the following paper, entitled :— 
Notes oN SoME OF oUR IrIsH Birps. By Benzamryw Brapsuaw, L. R. C.S. 
THe Goatsucker (Caprimulgus Europeus) is very common about 
Bansha, County Tipperary, arriving in May. The place is very moun- 
tainous and well wooded, and the woods being cut annually and re- 
planted, affords them an excellent breeding place, there being also 
plenty of heather growing among the young trees. I have never found 
their nests, as I have not had time to look for them; but when out 
shooting deer, which are numerous in the woods, I must have been 
near the nest occasionally, as the birds, or rather bird, as there was 
never more than one at a time, flew about my head, almost striking it, 
but never uttering any cry, and throwing stones at them did not 
frighten them in the least. In fact, I consider them very bold birds, 
not at all afraid of mankind. Even when they were not minding their 
young, but looking for insects, I have remarked the same fearlessness. 
I have never met them among the tall trees, but have frequently seen 
them flying over them, evidently looking for food. They occasionally 
descend to the lowlands, where they may be observed hawking over 
water, round the sally trees that grow out ofit, also round ash and oak. 
They appear about nine o’clock in the evening, and fly about till it is 
too dark to watch their movements any longer. One very curious 
feature about them is, that when they commence to fly about, they call 
one another, or at least I believe it is meant as such, by striking their 
wings sharply over their back, which can be heard more than a quarter 
ofa mile on a calm evening, and very much resembles the hands being 
struck forcibly together. It is taken up at once and answered from 
every part of the wood, and has avery curious effect. I have seen 
the wings in the act of making this sound, as occasionally the bird has 
been only a few feet from me atthe time. Itis produced as follows :— 
The bird slackens its pace, and gives a kind of convulsive start or 
jump in the air, at the same time straightening the wings, and 
striking the backs of them together very smartly over the back, 
only once at a time, before it resumes its pace again. I could hear no 
other sound from it at the time. I have never heard its peculiar 
churning note, nor have I ever seen it sitting on a tree or wall. Their 
flight at times strongly resembles that of the dragon-fly—rising and 
falling, poising and darting about. It is commonly known to the 
people in that part of the country as the ‘‘ Mauurvenn.”’ 
