208 



The Irish Natu7'alist. 



November, 1915- 



Sunfishes in Lough Foyle. 



Seeing a note in the Irish Naturalist {supra, p. 190) on the 

 occurrence of a Sunfish {Orthagoriscus truncatus) near Baltimore, co. 

 Cork. I venture to send the dimensions of a big fish of this genus 

 (I cannot speak as to the species) at present lying here on the shore of 

 Lough Foyle : — 



Length from mouth to tail, 6 ft. 4 in. 



Depth from base to base of fins, 6 ft. 



From tip to tip of fins, 7 ft. 4 in. 



These measurements, owing to partial decay, are probably less than 

 when the fish was alive. This is, I believe, the largest example of its 

 kind that I have seen ; but it is not an exceedingly rare thing for them to 

 be cast up along these coasts. 



I enclose a copy, kindly made for me by Miss M. Colgan, of the figure 

 of a Sunfish, shown at the top of an early map, entitled " A New Map of 

 the City of Londonderry vnth its Confines ; As it was beseiged {sic) by 

 the Irish army in the year 1689. Exactly survey'd by Capt. Francis 

 Neuill." Over it is the superscription : — " This Fish was taken on ye 

 N : W : Side of yo Kay of Derry on ye Lords day while the people were at 

 Church by a Ship boy not long before ye shuting ye Gates ; It was 4 foot 

 long, 2 foot broad, & 5 foot 3 inches from poynt to poynt of the finns ". 



A story heard long ago from an old countryman regarding this fish 

 may, perhaps, be worth repeating. After a description, quite unmista- 

 kable, of the monster, he went on to relate how the fishermen lifted it 

 upon their oars, and carried it to " The Master." " The Master " told 

 them it was called " Fish, Fksh, and Fowl." And when it was cut up, 

 they found one part flesh, like beef ; another part like fowl, and a third 

 part fish ! 



Kilderry, Co. Donegal. W. E. Hart. 



Tree-Pipit on Migration at the Tuskar Lighthouse. 



On the night of September 9th last a Tree -Pipit struck the lantern of 

 the Tuskar lighthouse, Co. Wexford, and was procured by Mr. Glanville, 

 to whom I am greatly obliged for the specimen. 



C. J. Patten. 



The University, Sheffield. 



Pied Flycatcher and Lessor Whitethroat on Migration at 

 Maidens Lighthouse. 



At 1. 10 a.m. on September 17th I obtained a Pied Flycatcher which 

 struck the lantern of Maidens lighthouse. At 4.35 a.m. on September 

 19th I found a Lesser Whitethroat at the foot of the lighthouse tower. 



C. J. Patten. 



The University, Sheffield, 



