554 
MR. J. H. GURNEY ON IRISH ROCK BIRDS. 
our members will bear me out in saying that it is a note not so 
much heard in Norfolk as it used to be ; but Norfolk Corncrakes 
had “ much decreased in numbers” even in Lubbock’s time. 
The Heron also is a much commoner bird in Ireland than in 
England, and many small Heronries are scattered about, one of them 
on Mr. Ussher’s lake, where, on May the 14th, a young one could 
Hy nearly as well as its parents. Another of seventeen nests was 
at Artramont in Beech trees under which the Herons had let drop 
a Garfish (Acus oppiani), a Pipefish ( Syngnatlim acus), a Crab, 
a small Flounder, a small Sole, and several Sticklebacks, besides 
six of their own young ones, one of which being fresh enough 
to skin, was found to contain a Beetle’s wing. 
The relative scarcity and abundance of Irish birds has been well 
treated of by our former President, Mr. Seebohm (‘Ibis,’ 1S90, 
p. 397), and I will not trench on the ground he has occupied so 
acceptably beyond alluding to one group — the Corvidce. 
The Hooded Crow is pretty common in Co. Wexford in summer, 
and the Iiooks which follow the plough are the tamest I ever saw, 
but the Haven is rare, and we only saw two, being, like Mr. Seebohm, 
too late for a nest. 
The Chough is still common round the coasts, but its nests are 
very inaccessible. Never having seen but one, and that in Cornwall, 
I gladly accepted the invitation of an i expert cliff-climber to 
accompany him to some well-known haunts, where we should be 
sure to meet with Choughs, and, if fortunate, nests as well. 
Accordingly, May 12th and 13th were devoted to searching the 
cliffs, and we met with three nests, only one of which contained eggs, 
and that was placed in the roof of a cavern, a situation almost 
inaccessible except by rope from above. My friend, who is as 
much at home on the cliffs as any professional, lost no time in 
making the attempt having first ascertained that the nest was 
occupied by firing a revolver at it. The bullet struck within a foot 
of the crevice where the nest was, and the occupant dashed out 
with all imaginable speed. A strong crowbar was now fixed in the 
ground at the top of the cliff, round which was twisted, but not 
lashed, a rope, and the end of it firmly held by two men while he 
descended. Meanwhile, the Choughs took themselves off and only 
witnessed from a distance the insertion of a pole into their cave 
provided with a little scoop net at the end of it, into which, by 
