124 



The Irish Naturalist. November 1920. 



ecstatic delight, for he sat upon the branch of a Portugal laurel, a few feet 

 above her, viewing most anxiously her operations, and now and then 

 having mounted to the top of a plane tree he poured forth his distinct and 

 sweetly modulated notes, which during the day he continued to do almost 

 incessantly. I should have liked to have given in full this fascinating story, 

 but it is only fair to state that at a later stage the male bird took a not 

 unimportant part in the completion of the nest. Sufficient, however, has 

 been quoted to show that the female does take part, and perhaps the main 

 part, in the building of such nests as are built specially for the incubation 

 of eggs and rearing of young." 



There is one point mentioned by Mr. Burkitt in the economy of the 

 Wren, in the Irish Naturalist for 19 19, viz., that the male bird talces no 

 part in feeding the young until these have left the nest. Is Mr. Burkitt 

 quite sure of his facts ? If so, this is but another instance how birds 

 may differ in their range of distribution. 



E. P. BUTTERFIELD. 



Bank House, 



Wilsden, Bradford. 



Pied Flycatcher and Turtle Dove in Achill. 



I am indebted to Mr. J. R. Slieridan for informing me of the following 

 occurrences of rare birds, shot, I regret to say, at Dugort, Achill Island. 



Pied Flycatcher {Muscicapa atricapilla). An adult male, the fifteenth 

 Irish specimen, was obtained on May 7th, 1920. 



Turtle Dove {Turiur communis). One, an immature female plumage, 

 was obtained by Mr. Sheridan on 23rd September last. This bird had been 

 observed for several days in the vicinity of Dugort, feeding along the 

 roadsides. 



Both above birds are, T tliink, new additions to tlie avifauna of Achill 

 Island. 



Robert F. Riittledge. 



Bloomfield, ITolIymount, 

 Co. Mayo. 



The Pine Marten in Ireland. 



If Mr. Pack 13eresfor(l will look at the Frisk Naturalist for August, he 

 will find tiiat a Marten was tra])]).>cl near Drogheda last winter. 11 is headed 

 " Pine Marten in Co. Loulh." This should icail " in .Mealli." 1 think 

 anoMicr Marten was caugh! at S .lucrvillf. in Mcalli, a ft>\v years ago, and 

 am makiiv^ in(|niries al)ou( it. 



C.. II. Pl NriANl^. 



P.lack Hall, Drogheda, 



