T9o6. Pattkrsox. —Birds of Ireland and the Isle of Man. 165 
The Red Grouse became extinct in Man between 1830 and 
1840, but was re-introduced about 1S80 and is now resident in 
limited numbers. The Pheasant has been introduced at 
various times, but does not seem to succeed in Man. " Stva}' 
birds possibly still survive," about half a dozen at Bishop's 
Court and a few at Maughold. Mr. Kermode's remark upon 
this species, " Introduced at different times for the amusement 
of poachers," probably puts the cause of failure in a nut-shell. 
Both of these birds are resident here and breed in every county. 
Partridges in both Man and Ireland are decreasing, being 
resident in limited numbers. The histor}- of the Quail in Man 
is practically the same as in Ireland : common up to 1850 or 
i860, it then became extinct, but re-appeared in 1S92, and was 
much more numerous in 1893, and has occasionalh' been re- 
corded as shot and as breeding since then. It is called " Wet- 
m3'-lip " in Man, Wet-niy-foot " in the North of Ireland. The 
Water-Rail, Moor-Hen, and Coot are as numerous in Man as 
the limited extent of water and marsh will permit, all three 
breed in small numbers. They are common residents in Ire- 
land, the last two especially so. In his list of 1888 Mr. 
Kermode notes that the Woodcock has occasionalh' been 
known to breed in Man ; he does not repeat this in his later 
account, and there is no evidence known to me, though it 
seems not unlikel}'." Doubtless the want of suitable planta- 
tions in Man is the cause of its absence as a breeding species; 
in Ireland it has long been known to breed, and its increase 
has been rapid. The Snipe breeds very sparingly in Man, 
as would be expected ; the mountain bogs and marshy lands 
of Ireland, where it breeds freeh^, being wanting. For the 
same reason only a few pairs of Curlew nest in Man, 
although large numbers are found round the coast at different 
times of the 3'ear. In Ireland it breeds extensively. Coming 
to sea-birds, it is hard to understand why there should 
be only 07ie colony (of under forty pairs) of Arctic Terns 
in Man (the exact locality being carefully concealed), one 
colony of Little Terns, of about the same size (unknown 
until 1898), and why the Common Tern should be merely 
an uncommon straggler; not breeding. In Ireland all three 
are numerous, though the last two are rather local ; there 
are some immense colonies of Arctics. The absence of the 
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