iQiT). JvUrTLEpc.K — Birch of Lough Carra. 97 
the cause of which we did not then know. On several of 
the islands we found a great number of Common Gulls' 
wings, which we concluded were the remains left by Otters, 
which abound. 
Continuing up the lake we found two ducks' nests, one 
containing eleven eggs and the other five. We saw only 
one Cormorant of the large number which breed on an 
island with a ruined castle on it. The majority spend 
their day about Lough Mask. The boatman also told me 
that four or five years ago they numbered some six hundred 
or more on the one island, nesting on the trees, castle, and 
ground, and although so crowded never went to a similar 
island close by. Under Moore Hall I again saw the Great 
Crested Grebes. 
Returning down the far side of the lake we landed on 
one island which was strewn with the sucked eggs of 
Common Gulls, Black-headed Gulls, Duck, a Lapwing, and 
a Pigeon. This was the work of the Grey Crows ; the 
eggs numbered well over a hundred I am sure. This 
told the tale of the destruction of the Black-headed Gulls' 
colon3\ The island where the Grey Crows themselves nest 
is just beside, and landing on it we found no traces of 
sucked eggs. 
This island had a duck's nest with twelve eggs. The 
Grey Crows had built on trees in the centre of the island. 
After this we visited several more islands but found nothing. 
It was of course early in the season for the nests of some 
species, such as the Red-breasted Merganser, Terns and 
Sandpipers, all of which, however, breed on the islands. 
Other birds we saw were Reed-buntings ; these were on 
most of the islands, and on the wooded ones there were 
Warblers. Large and small flocks of Wild Duck (all 
Mallards) were everywhere, and we saw a good few pairs 
of Tufted Duck. Six White-fronted Geese were seen 
passing over at one time, the last I saw this spring. 
Hollymount, Co. Mayo. 
