1905. 



Notes. 



IT9 



C. officinalis I have seen growing only on rocks and cliffs near the open 

 sea, never so frequently nor so abundantly as to be called common. 



As these notes refer only to portions of the southern half of Ireland, 

 perhaps botanists in other parts of the country having opportunities 

 during April and May, when both species are in bloom and fruit, would 

 examine the maritime and tidal districts within their reach, and state, 

 as their experience (i) if typical C. officinalis is really common on our 

 coasts, and (2) if it, or C. anglica, var. Hoi tii, is the plant of the muddy 

 shores of our estuaries and tidal rivers, or if both species grow together 

 in these situations. 



R. A. Phii,i,ips. 



Cork. 



ZOOLOGY. 

 Greenland Falcon in Co. Donegal. 



I am informed by Mr. D. C. Campbell that on March 21st a Greenland 

 Falcon {Falco candicans) was trapped at Horn Head, near Dunfanaghy. 

 It is an immature female, and measured i ft. 11 in. from beak to tail, the 

 wing expanse being 4 ft. 3 in. This is the eleventh record for Donegal, 

 being one-third of the total Irish records. 



RoBKRT Patterson. 



Holywood, Co. Down. 



Corncrakes in Winter. 



A Corncrake (jCrex pratensis^ was shot near Lurgan on 31st January, 

 1905. The man who shot it was attracted by the sound of the bird's 

 " craking," otherwise its presence would not have been detected. This 

 seems a most unusual occurrence, and I can find no reference to the 

 well-known sound having been heard in mid-winter in any of the 

 authoiities I have consulted. Again, two gentlemen out walking in the 

 neighbourhood of Belfast on 19th February observed a Corncrake 

 running across the road a few feet in front of them. It disappeared into 

 a thicket of brambles. It will be noted that neither of these birds was 

 hibernating. 



Robert Patterson. 



Holywood, Co. Down. 



Common Bittern in Co. Wexford. 



A fine specimen of this irregular visitor to our shores was shot last 

 November near Curracloe, Wexford, and given to W. J. O'Neill, Esq., 

 Kilmacoe, who had it mounted by Messrs. Williams of Dublin. Mr. 

 O'Neill heard it previously booming near his house. 



J. H. Johnston. 



Wexford. 



