20 



The IHsh Naturalist. January, 1905. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The Red-throated Diver. 



All Irish ornithologists, and especially those who take an interest in 

 our rare breeding species, deplore the wanton cruelty and persecution 

 that is meted out every season to these fine birds — possibly the only 

 pair at present known to breed in Ireland. This year the first clutch of 

 eggs was taken by a native (who was doubtless well rewarded), and sent 

 to Dublin ; the exact address can, if necessary, be disclosed later. The 

 birds, thus frustrated in their first attempt, changed the nesting site, 

 and, although the whole country-side was searched, the second nest, I 

 am glad to say, was never discovered. The parent birds were seen 

 during the month of August flying backwards and forwards from the 

 sea, generally with fish, and by the middle of September they had dis- 

 appeared from the district. 



W. C. Wright. 



Belfast. 



Hairy-armed Bat in Down and Antrim. 



At the end of last June Mr. John Cottney sent me a fine male Hairy- 

 armed Bat, captured at Hillsborough. As it was quite uninjured I 

 liberated it at Holywood, after examining it. On the evening of Sep- 

 tember 10 I saw three bats of this species flying up and down at the 

 " Bank Heads," I^arne Harbour, Co. Antrim. These bats do not seem to 

 be quite so rare as has been supposed. 



Robert Patterson. 



Glenbank, Holywood. 



GEOLOGY. 



f 



Greensand Section at Whitehead. *^ 



This fine section, to which I called attention in the February number 

 (p. 49), is now in even better condition for geologists. It is about thirty 

 feet high at the east end, and likely to remain so for some little time. 

 A second section, however, a little nearer the tunnel, may be built up, 

 as the railway company are putting in concrete foundations for some 

 building. Further quantities of the fossiliferous rock from the section 

 have been tipped all along the new siding. A good section of the great 

 basaltic columns in the quarry is now visible 



R. Wei,CH. 



Belfast. 



