228 
The Irish Nahwalist. 
October, 1914. 
the locality to breed. On the 5th June last two pairs of Roseate Terns 
and an odd bird were seen, but they had disappeared by the time the next 
visit was made to the locality, i.e., on 6th July. 
Geo. R. Humphreys. 
Kylemore, Co. Gal way. 
Green Sandpiper in Co. Kildare. 
On July 2ist, whilst walking along the Blackwater river, near Metcalfe 
Park, Enfield, Co. Kildare, a bird rose almost at my feet from the edge 
of mud, , along the water side, the river being very low. It flew away 
from me, down stream, and from what I saw of it I describe it as follows : — 
The upper parts bluish -grey, under parts white ; rump and tail -coverts 
white, and very conspicuous in flight ; tail short, and black and white ; 
bill brownish and slightly curved, and rather long. Flight erratic, like 
that of a Woodcock, with slightly arched wings. Size of bird somewhat 
larger than a Snipe. I sent a description of the bird to Mr. E. Kay 
Robinson, F.Z.S., and he is of the opinion that it was a Green Sandpiper ; 
this was also my own idea, strengthened after I had heard from him, and 
also looked up the Green Sandpiper in Professor Patten's Aquatic Birds 
of Great Britain and Ireland. I may mention that the above description 
and the account sent to Mr. Kay Robinson were both purposely given 
before I had referred to any book. 
Helen M. Metcalfe. 
Enfield, Co. Kildare. 
Breeding of Canadian Geese at Dunmurry, Co. Antrim. 
It may interest the readers of the Irish Naturalist to know that almost 
every year a clutch, and sometimes two clutches, of Canadian Geese 
{Bernicla canadensis) are reared on the lake at Ballydrain, Dunmurry, 
Co. Antrim. The birds are now (whatever they may have been originally) 
in a perfectly wild state, very wary, and difficult to observe. This year 
there were twelve birds in all, and as they always divided and went about 
in two parties of six each, I presume they were two clutches. These geese 
do not come to the lake every year, and in 191 1 and 191 3, when I was at 
Ballydrain, they were not there. They usually come every second year or 
so, and Miss Montgomery informs me that they arrive in the spring and 
remain to breed, leaving again some time in August. This year I saw 
them every day from July 31st to August 6th ; after that date they disap- 
peared, and so far as I know have not returned since. If Canadian Geese 
were originally introduced on this lake, it must have been a very long time 
ago, as the birds which have bred there for a considerable number of years 
do so in an entirely wild state. It would be interesting to know if these 
geese breed elsewhere in Ireland as they do at Ballydrain. 
Helen M. Metcalfe, 
Enfield, Co. Kildare. 
