The Irish Naturalist. 
January, 
part of the bird. In answer to these suggestions I would point out that 
although there was a threatening movement made by the comrade gulls 
when the whelk was first captured, there was no actual attack then ; and 
in the second and third upward flights no interference whatever took 
place. And if the bird were frightened by human intruders why, it may be 
ask^d, did it not fly off" horizontally with its prey, as it ultimately did> 
to the rocks of Shennick's Island. As for the second theory, that the 
action of the bird was, roughly speaking, instinctive, that I must leave 
to the consideration of those who are well versed in a delightful lore of 
which I am lamentably ignorant, the manners and customs of sea-birds. 
Our ornithologist can tell us whether this method of smashing shells is 
as much part of the traditional wisdom of the Herring Gull as is the 
smashing of snail shells on a stone with the Thrush. 
If neither the first nor the second theory fit the facts then we are 
apparently forced to the conclusion that the Skerries gull by a course of 
philosophical experiment attained to a very fair practical knowledge of 
the laws of gravity. 
N Coi^GAN. 
Sandycove. 
Quail in Co. Louth. 
I notice in the December number of the Irish Naiuraiisl mention of 
Quail in Co. Waterford and Co. Londonderry. It may interest some 
readers to know that when shooting with Mr. Lionel Hartop, of Bel- 
robin, near Dundalk, about the 20th October, we killed two Quail, a 
male and female. These were the first living Quail 1 had ever seen in 
Ireland, though I have once or twice heard them. I hear of two other 
Quail being shot here this season, and last year Mr. Maxwell Boyle, of 
Blackrock, Dundalk, killed several. I have no doubt that the two birds 
we shot in October were bred here during the very favourable present 
season, but I am surprised that they remained so long with us. 
Ai,i,AN P. Swan. 
Dundalk, 
Whiskered Bat in Co. Carlow. 
On November 7th last a bat flew into the house here, which, on 
examination, I identified as Vespertilio viysiaciniis (kindly confirmed for 
me by Dr. Scharff"). This bat has not, I believe, been recorded before 
from this county, though it has been taken in the neighbouring county 
of Wexford. 
Denis R. Pack-Bkresford. 
Fenagli House, Bagnalstown. 
