_Slyne Head, North._--Oct. 11th, flock of Gannets seen.
_Arran Island North._--Aug. 10th, 12th, 14th, and 26th, several. Oct.
1st, two going N.W.; 13th, five going N.W.
_Straw Island._--"The Gannet is especially remarked for its almost
total absence." March 18th, two. April 7th, two. Oct. 12th, four going
S.
_Tearaght._--Oct. 13th, two hundred and ten passed S.W. between 8 and 9
a.m. Great numbers had passed before I commenced and after I left off
counting. All young birds, flying low and in flocks of from thirty to
two or three; calm, misty.
_Skelligs._--Oct. 18th, Gannets for the last few days wheeling in
flocks, and seeming inclined to take a southerly direction; 20th,
twenty going S. _None perched on the Lesser Skellig after this date._
_Dursey Island._--March 4th, 7th, and April 7th, some going N.W.
Terns.
_Old Head, Kinsale._--May 20th, several.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--May 28th, several "Pirs or Skirs" about ship.
June 3rd to the 10th, ditto.
_Copeland Island._--May 20th, large numbers heard arriving on Mew
Island during the night; wind W., light. They arrive to breed in May,
and leave late in August or early in September.
_Oyster Island, North._--April 17th, four Terns hovering round.
Gulls.
_Fastnet._--April 12th to 25th, great quantity feeding at rock. May
7th, two Royal Gulls.
_Old Head, Kinsale._--May 20th, hundreds of Kittiwakes, "small Gulls,"
Skua Gulls, and Royal Gulls; also on 28th. Oct. 20th, some hundreds
going S.; wind W., light.
_Dungarvan._--June 1st, a few Kittiwakes, the first seen this season;
3rd, three Black-backed. July 13th, numbers of Black-headed; 31st,
numbers of Gulls. Aug. 16th, great numbers of small Black-headed Gulls
and three Skuas (seldom seen here) chasing Gulls. Sept. 2nd, four
Black-backed Gulls.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--May 8th, 9th, 20th, 21st, and 25th, several
about ship daily. June 10th, great flocks; great quantities in August;
only a few in September. Great flocks, Black-backed and others, Dec.
28th to Jan. 8th, 1885, about ship.
_Barrels Rock Light-ship._--May 6th, flocks of Gulls. Sept. 10th, large
flocks. Nov. 27th, large flocks after fish.
_Tuskar Rock._--May 28th, hundreds of Skua Gulls; 31st, ditto, on rock,
went S.; noted also on June 7th, 8th, and 22nd.
_Kish Light-ship._--April 8th, grey Gulls about ship; 27th,
continuous flocks of "Boatswains" going N.E.; wind E. May 17th and
25th, continuous flocks going S.W. and N.E., wind S.W. and S.E.; 27th,
continuous flocks of Boatswains going S.W., wind S.E. June 7th, flocks
going S.W., wind N.E.; 29th and 30th, flocks.
_Howth Baily._--Aug. 19th, large numbers in bay after fry.
_Rockabill._--July 1st, Sea Gulls about; 5th, Royal Gulls all day.
_Copeland Island._--Jan. 20th, number of Gannets and Gulls feeding.
_South Maidens._--Sea Gulls always to be seen in immediate vicinity of
light. Aug. 30th, Grey and Royal fishing.
_Rathlin Island._--March 29th, flocks of Kittiwakes all day on water.
May 22nd, two thousand Kittiwakes at noon on water. Sept. 15th,
thousands of Kittiwakes on the water; 25th, thousands of Gulls.
_Innishtrahull._--April 1st, several Gulls about island all day. May
15th, Gulls and a pair of Royal Gulls.
_Dunree Head._--March 3rd, 7th, 10th, and 20th, flock of Gulls.
_Tory Island._--Jan. 21st, four. Feb. 19th, four.
_Arranmore._--July 24th, large quantities of Gulls and young ones on
rocks. Dec. 8th, Skua Gull seen.
_Rathlin O'Birne._--Six to one hundred frequent island; six to twelve
breed. The Royal Gull is always here.
_Killybegs._--Sea Gulls all the year.
_Oyster Island, North._--Sea Gulls are about all the year. "Some appear
to have taken up their quarters fixedly."
_Eagle Island, East._--Sept. 11th, two to three hundred Gulls (Grey and
Kittiwake) all day after fish. Nov. 3rd, two Grey Gulls. Very few Gulls
this autumn.
_Blackrock, Mayo._--Jan. 20th, seven Royal Gulls going S.E. April 30th,
small Gulls all day; they breed here from this date to the middle
of August. Feb. 27th, Gulls. July 9th, seven Royal Gulls hovering.
Sept. 23rd, five Royal Gulls. Oct. 7th, nine small Gulls; 11th, five
"cream-coloured Gulls," 7.30 a.m., going W., wind strong N., squally.
[These "cream-coloured Gulls" of Blackrock, Mayo, were seen by the
previous light-keeper, Mr. Martin Kennedy, in August, 1881, and during
April and May, 1882. He calls them "North-American or cream-coloured
Gulls," and states that "more than one or two were never seen."--3rd
Rep., p. 86; and 4th Rep., p. 104, R. M. B.]. Dec. 12th, five Royal
Gulls; 22nd, large flocks of Gulls on the water. Jan. 9th, 1885, six
small Gulls; 11th, five Royal Gulls.
_Clare Island._--March 6th, Sea Gulls and Kittiwakes; 25th, large
numbers; 30th, thousands. Sept. 25th, two large Royal Gulls.
_Slyne Head, North._--Oct. 11th, Gulls, about ten to twenty.
_Arran Island, North._--Oct. 2nd, large flock of Gulls.
_Straw Island._--Feb. 20th, twenty Gulls. March 27th, two Royal Gulls.
April 28th, four large white (Herring) Gulls going N., wind light, W.;
30th, two Black-headed Gulls. Nov. 4th, four large grey Gulls. Dec.
28th, four Royal Gulls.
_Tearaght._--The Kittiwakes commenced to build this year on April 1st.
The young birds were seen flying about the last week in July. None of
the young birds are to be seen during the winter; but on Feb. 7th a few
were observed among the old birds. They left shortly afterwards, and
were not to be seen until June 24th, when there were about one hundred
on the rock with the old birds: they remained about a week. The Royal
Gulls do not breed here. Aug. 14th, Herring Gull (young), about half
a dozen; still about island, Jan. 15th, 1885. Jan. 5th, Kittiwakes
(young), thirty or forty, with other Gulls. None of these young
Kittiwakes were seen since they left their nests on Sept. 20th. Some of
the black has disappeared.
_Valencia._--A few "Royal, Common, and Skua" Gulls at intervals during
April, May, and June. Skua Gulls, Sept. 2nd, Oct. 24th. Dec. 24th and
25th, two to fifteen Royal Gulls. Nov. 18th and 20th, a few.
_Skelligs._--March 26th, Kittiwakes first seen on rock. Kittiwakes
leaving from the 15th to the 28th August. December, great numbers of
Herring Gulls and young Kittiwakes and a few Black-backed Gulls.
_Dursey Island._--Large flock, March 15th and April 30th. March 9th,
four Royal Gulls.
Stormy Petrel.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--May 8th, 9th, and 13th, one to two about ship;
14th to 17th, several during day, foggy and hazy, wind moderate; 24th,
one killed striking. June 2nd, 5th, and 6th, several about ship;
clear, wind light. One to nine noted from 22nd August to Sept. 8th.
Several almost daily at end of September, and a few on Oct. 9th and
10th; all flying about ship.
_Barrels Rock Light-ship._--Sept. 13th, seven; 15th, two; all going E.
_Innishtrahull._--Aug. 18th, one Petrel struck at 11 p.m., not killed.
The first seen by me here; wind S.W., fresh, gloomy, rain.
_Arranmore._--Dec. 19th, one Stormy Petrel shot at station.
_Clare Island._--Aug. 17th, a "Mother Carey's Chicken" caught
fluttering against lantern at midnight; wind light, gloomy.
_Tearaght._--May 18th, Stormy Petrels arrived on this date, or perhaps
previous to it; plentiful on 23rd. Eggs taken on June 19th. Will lay
the third egg if the others are taken. They are very plentiful this
year, but are never seen in the daytime, but at night continually
striking the glass. They are not very welcome visitors, owing to the
blotches of oil they eject on the glass and balcony. They are so
plentiful skimming about that they often come close to a person's ears.
They are to be heard in every bank, under every rock, and in every
crevice. On dark calm nights the air as well as the rocks and banks is
filled with their music; their hatching is not over until August is
well advanced. Sept. 15th, one (young) caught on balcony. Oct. 11th,
one going S.W.; wind N., showery. Nov. 15th, one on lantern.
_Skelligs._--May 25th, heard the Stormy Petrel under the stones to-day
for the first time this year. June 2nd, several Stormy Petrels about
lantern; drizzling rain. During foggy and rainy nights in July and
August Petrels were about lantern, but none killed striking. Sept. 6th,
one seen in daytime. Oct. 17th, Petrels last seen on this date; a few
(young birds) kept flying about light on misty nights to Oct. 16th.
Manx Shearwater.
_Old Head, Kinsale._---May 20th, several.
_Dungarvan._--July 4th and 5th, flocks about bay feeding; 20th, 25th,
and 31st, thousands in search of fry.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--April 4th, four; 19th, 20th, 26th, one to six
about ship. On 20th, one struck and was disabled at 9 p.m., overcast.
_Barrels Rock Light-ship._--April 12th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 23rd, flocks
are entered flying in various directions. Sept. 2nd, flocks.
_Arklow North Light-ship._--May 3rd, "Mackerel Cocks" going N. at noon;
8th, ditto, flying about, wind S.W., strong.
_South Maidens._--Sept. 11th, three "Shearwaters" fishing in vicinity
the last few weeks.
_Rathlin Island._--March 17th, Shearwaters heard at night. Aug. 20th,
one Shearwater killed striking.
_Arranmore._--March 29th, two "Manx Shearwaters, called night-birds,"
flew into yard at night; taken and stuffed. April 19th, twenty all day.
Quantities "at rocks" building.
_Blackrock, Mayo._--June 10th, Manx Shearwaters at midnight, one
struck, wind light S.W., clear; 14th, three struck at 1 a.m., wind
N.W., light, overcast; one caught. Aug. 9th, Manx Shearwaters all
night; several struck, two caught; wind S., light, misty.
_Tearaght._--April 10th, Manx Shearwaters first heard. Left about July
15th. Oct. 10th, two near rocks on N. side.
_Skelligs._--March 1st, Manx Shearwaters first heard. Shearwaters heard
up to Aug. 29th; noticed them getting scarce about the 12th.
Birds not identified.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--Nov. 14th, one "Schinz's Sandpiper" struck,
10 p.m., disabled; wind E.S.E., light, gloomy. "The size, colour, and
length, according to the description in vol. vi."--Morris's 'British
Birds.'
_Tuskar Rock._--May 25th, "a yellow bird, black head with stripes,
shape and fly of a Wagtail," on rock at 7 p.m.; wind light S.E.,
overcast, misty.
_Arklow North Light-ship._--Dec. 27th, a large flock of "Sallypickers"
going S.W. at 10 a.m.; wind light S. ["Sallypickers" have hitherto been
placed under Willow Wren or Chiffchaff, but in this case it is not easy
to suggest the species.--R. M. B.]
_South Maidens._--Jan. 14th, "one golden Robin" struck lantern, 10
p.m., not injured; wind S.W., fresh, overcast, gloomy.
_Innishtrahull._--Aug. 11th, "a sea-bird caught; colour dirty grey,
with some white; tail also white, tipped with black. Like a Curlew in
shape, and a long bill."
_Killybegs._--Dec. 27th, one "Blackcap" on wall; wind S.W., light. [Not
_Sylvia atricapilla_.--R. M. B.]
_Blackrock, Mayo._--Jan. 2nd, 1885, nine "small divers" fishing about
rock.
_Clare Island._--April 4th, "a very handsome Crow, 11 a.m. All black on
back, with white breast, and had a bill resembling a common Crow; wind
E., light."
APPENDIX.
Mr. Gurney has received a batch of wings from the Leman and Ower
L.V. off Cromer, taken from birds evidently killed last autumn;
unfortunately they are not dated, so that much of their value as a
record of migration is lost. They include Willow Wren, Wheatear, Snipe,
Jack Snipe, Ring Dotterel, Robin, Sedge Warbler, Redstart, Fieldfare
(three), Thrush, Blackbird, Titlark (five), Sky Lark, Chaffinch
(three), Great Tit, Goldcrest, Reed Bunting, Wood Pigeon, Woodcock
(two), Starling, Swallow, Martin, Sanderling, Tree Sparrow.
Pied Flycatcher.--With reference to Mr. J. Harvie Brown's remarks (see
foot-note, p. 100 of Report) on the arrival of Pied Flycatchers at
the Isle of May and Pentland Skerries in the first week in May, 1885,
it is interesting to learn that the same species is also reported in
great numbers from Flamborough and Spurn at the same period, _viz._,
the first week in May; it was also observed in Norfolk on the 9th. At
Flamborough, as Mr. Bailey informed me, a great many came in on the
3rd, with a N.E. wind, and in company with male Redstarts. At Spurn,
Mr. P. W. Lawton states that it has been more numerous than he ever
before knew it. ('Naturalist,' June 1885, p. 250, foot-note).
* * * * *
Erratum.--Page 71, line 29, for "September 30th," read "September 18th."
PRINTED BY WEST, NEWMAN AND CO., HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C.
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Erratum on p. 71 has been corrected. There were several superscripted
numbers (pp. 41, 55, 64 and 73) which are interpreted as wind speeds
and so the superscripting was removed. The footnote on page 112 was
moved from the first listed species to the title as the footnote relates
to the order of the species. Minor typos have been corrected. Some
inconsistencies in spelling have been left as printed.