The Irish Naturalist, 



April, 



country. A few cases show protective mimicry, and there are 

 others showing life histories. Additions to these are now in 

 preparation, and will be of local interest as far as possible. 

 The cases for the above, as well as many others, were made 

 by H. L. Orr. 



Of the 290 species of birds admitted to the Irish list, the 

 Museum contains representatives of 98, but, as in many cases 

 both male and female, and adult and immature, are shown, 

 the collection of Irish birds is wonderfully large. Each bird 

 has attached to it a label, giving its English name as well as 

 its scientific one, and is accompanied by a map showing the 

 winter and summer distribution of the species, and a note 

 specially describing its occurrence in Ireland. As would 

 naturally be expected in a gift-collection, the commoner Irish 

 birds are entirely absent, and rarer birds are well represented. 

 Thus we find the Thrush, Robin, Sparrow, Rook, Wren, &c., 

 are missing; while, on the other hand, there are good 

 examples of Tree Sparrow, Chough, Great Spotted Wood- 

 pecker, Roller, Snowy Owl, Hen-Harrier, Common Buzzard 

 (2), Golden Eagle, Peregrine (3), Goosander, Smew (2), Turtle 

 Dove, and I^ittle Auk (2). As well as the birds in the wall- 

 cases, there are several small well-mounted cases displayed in 

 difierent parts of the room, and in the foreign section there 

 are about 20 birds to be seen, each with its descriptive label. 



The cabinet devoted to the eggs of birds which breed, or 

 have bred, during the last century in Ireland, contains eggs 

 of 100 species out of a total of 134 known, while 34 spaces 

 have been left labelled for those which have yet to be pre- 

 sented. The eggs are not arranged in clutches, but for each 

 species a separate tray is provided, bearing a label with the 

 scientific and common name, as well as a note of the usual 

 number ot eggs in a clutch. The remaining drawers contain 

 the eggs of 26 species of birds not known to breed in Ireland, 

 labelled in a similar way. Of Irish birds' nests, 34 are shown 

 in one of the window-cases, each mounted in a glass-topped 

 box, and all but two containing eggs. 



Twelve species of Irish land mammals are shown, the 

 rarest being a Marten. There are a few of the more striking 

 foreign mammals, such as Sloth and Kangaroo, while the 

 Carnivora are represented by a Wolf, Jackal, and Bear. 



