Robert Warjcn. 
35 
letter -writing." And again, " I stop in the midst of writing 
on the Heron to inquire where it was that you knew this 
bird and the Rook to build in the same tree. I should be 
glad of full particulars on that subject." There are many 
similar notes, and Thompson freely sketches the plan and 
extent of the information he hopes to be able to lay before 
his readers if supphed with proper material from every 
quarter. 
The matter of most of Warren's letters is largely worked 
into Thompson's book, and the name of his southern home 
has been made familiar to many readers by the amusing 
passage that tells how " the family at Castle Warren, near 
Cork, were much alarmed on one occasion by hearing a loud 
snoring noise, like that made by a man after a hard day's 
work, proceeding from one of the chimneys ; and all appre- 
hension was not dispelled until some Barn Owls, which 
had a nest there, were discovered to be the snorers." 
In 185 1 the family home of the Warrens was transferred 
to Moyview, Co. Sligo, where a new field for investigation 
presented itself, Killala Bay and its shores proved an 
ideal hunting ground alike to the sportsman and the 
naturalist. Working hard at the farm as they did, the 
brothers used to be up before dawn so as to enjoy a run in 
their punt before the day's work began, and they had not 
been many weeks in their new home before several interesting 
discoveries rewarded their efforts. The month of April was 
marked by two particularly welcome surprises — the finding 
of the Sandwich Tern in considerable numbers frequenting 
the island of Bartragh, and the securing of the first Irish- 
killed ' specimen of the White Wagtail on the same island 
about a fortnight later. The actual breeding -haunt of the 
Terns was not found till six years later, and the discovery 
that Bartragh Island is practically a regular halting place 
of the White Wagtail on its migratory spring voyage was 
not made until nearly another half -century had elapsed ; 
but the delight of coming across these two rare and little - 
known visitants within so short a time, after settling in a 
new home, would naturally leave a strong and abiding 
impression on any bird -lover's mind. 
