28th and June 17th; in eleven the direction of flight was entered, and
in all it was towards the west, and seemed independent of the weather.
On April 13th, 19th, 21st, May 4th, 7th, 12th, 13th, 23rd, and June 2nd
the flocks were passing all day. During August four entries occur, but
direction of flight is not given. One entry in October.
_Innishtrahull._--Jan. 8th, four Gannets; wind strong S.W.
_Lough Swilly._--May 1st, 20th, and July 30th, a few noted.
_Tory Island._--Nov. 13th, two going E.; noon.
_Arranmore._--March 9th and 26th, four to six passing all day. Oct.
14th, twelve.
_Rathlin O'Birne._--April 6th and 18th, a few. May 14th and 18th,
continuous flock all day going S. In June Gannets around island at
intervals. Sept. 9th, 19th, a few. Oct. 5th and 6th, hundreds; most
left about Oct. 17th.
_Killybegs._--April 9th, two; 12th, about thirty, usually in pairs.
Aug. 14th, Gannets leaving. Gannets begin to arrive in June, sometimes
earlier, and mostly leave in September; their movements are very
uncertain.
_Oyster Island, North._--Gannets noted at intervals from April 5th to
18th.
_Blackrock, Mayo._--To be seen nearly every day during September and
October.
_Slyne Head, North._--Aug. 1st, numbers of young Gannets are to be
seen. Gannets entered on Aug. 10th, 17th, very common, and flocks at
intervals on Nov. 17th; and thirty on Nov. 25th.
_Straw Island._--Feb. 10th, fifteen Gannets seen at 2 p.m., strong
breeze, W., going S. Gannets entered on Aug. 8th, Sept. 3rd, and Oct.
11th, generally hovering about. It generally makes its appearance with
various kinds of fish, mackerel, pilchards, &c.
_Arran Island, South._--Nov. 29th, two at noon; remained three days.
_Skelligs._--Sept. 20th, several fishing. Nov. 20th, saw no Gannets
since Oct. 29th.
_Dursey Island._--Seven to thirty noted at intervals during April and
on May 11th and 29th; flight generally W. or N.W. A few noted Aug.
11th; Sept. 6th, large flocks all day going S.; and a few on Sept. 28th.
Tern.
_Copeland Island._--The Terns appear on Mew Island to breed on May 15th
and 16th. They come in the night, at first in small numbers, increasing
each night for ten or twelve nights, when many hundreds are to be seen.
Sept. 19th, some hundreds of Terns left Mew Island on this date; wind
S.E., light misty rain. Heard leaving during night.
_Rathlin O'Birne._--Terns arrived at usual time; they breed on island
outside lighthouse.
_Oyster Island, North._--April 8th, five Terns passing S.; 12th,
several during day.
_Slyne Head, North._--May 20th, the Tern arrives for breeding, and
continues until about Aug. 2nd.
Gulls.
_Galley Head._--June 1st to 15th, large flocks of Gulls after fry.
_Old Head, Kinsale._--Oct. 7th to 10th, some hundreds going S. Nov.
20th, Grey Gulls.
Coningbeg Light-skip.--April 22nd, flocks of Grey Gulls; 26th, ditto.
June 13th, ditto. Nov. 21st, flocks of small Gulls.
_Dungarvan._--Nov. 6th, a great number.
_Barrels Rock Light-ship._--July 3rd and 9th, Sea Gulls in flocks,
flying E. after fry. During November and part of December large flocks
apparently after small fish, working east and west with the tides.
_Tuskar Rock._--From June 13th to 18th, Gulls alighted in large flocks.
_Arklow North Light-ship._--April 1st, continuous flocks of Grey Gulls
going N.E.
_Kish Bank Light-ship._--Flocks of Grey Gulls noted on May 8th, 25th,
and June 15th. Oct. 16th, flock of Grey Gulls hovering about all day.
Nov. 27th, a flock all day after fry.
_Rockabill._--Gulls come in April and leave at the end of September.
_Copeland Island._--Herring Gulls remain about the island all the year.
In August a large number of Grey and Royal Gulls fishing in vicinity.
_Rathlin Island._--Flocks of Gulls on March 29th, May 1st, 18th, 22nd,
June 8th, 20th, and 27th; direction of flight not given. Flocks during
August of twenty to thirty Royal Gulls at intervals. Two or three
thousand Kittiwakes on 11th and 30th. Entries of Gulls occur twice in
November, and large flocks going S. on Dec. 17th, 21st, and 30th.
_Innishtrahull._--Dec. 25th, two Royal Gulls.
_Lough Swilly._--April 1st, a few; 6th, several; 19th, in great
numbers. May 1st, ditto. May 20th and June 1st, Gulls. July 27th, very
numerous all day.
_Tory Island._--Sept. 5th, a flock of "Common Gulls" flying W. Nov.
15th, three Black-backed Gulls at 8 a.m., going E.; 28th, a flock of
Gulls.
_Arranmore._--March 12th, Gulls passing.
_Rathlin O'Birne._--Flocks of fifty to one hundred on April 10th, 12th,
28th, and May 8th. In June, Gulls about island. Flocks of Gulls from
one hundred to thousands on Aug. 31st, Sept. 19th, 20th, 30th, Oct.
5th, and 6th. The greater number left on Oct. 17th. On Nov. 4th, 22nd,
and Dec. 7th, eighty to one hundred all day.
_Killybegs._--Gulls of the grey species to the number of about two
hundred remained here during spring, coming in the morning and
departing in the evening to the cliffs around Slieve League. Thousands
of Kittiwakes arrived about beginning of May, and still (August)
remain. Aug. 14th, several hundreds leaving. Kittiwakes and Grey Gulls
usually arrive in large numbers about June or July, and leave towards
the end of September; but a few, notably the large grey kind, remain
all the month.
_Oyster Island, North._--Gulls noted on April 12th, 18th, 22nd, May
24th, and 29th.
_Broadhaven._--Oct. 10th, three dozen Kittiwakes; 24th, four dozen
Black-headed Gulls.
_Blackrock, Mayo._--Sept. 9th, flocks of small Gulls on water. Sept.
22nd and Jan. 5th, 1884, two Royal Gulls. Large and small Gulls nearly
every day during September and October.
_Clare Island._--March 15th, about a dozen small Sea Gulls during
day. A large number of Gulls of different species in the cliffs near
lighthouses this year. Kittiwakes are here all the year.
_Slyne Head, North._--Gulls noted on Aug. 20th and Nov. 17th.
_Arran Island, North._--Nov. 14th, ten; wind fresh W.S.W.
_Straw Island._--Feb. 13th, the Grey and the Royal Gull continually
in vicinity of lighthouse. The Grey Gulls remain during year. Gulls
entered Aug. 13th, Sept. 1st, and Oct. 5th (Royal). Flight generally
S.W.
_Arran Island, South._--July 25th, fifty Sea Gulls. Nov. 27th, Sea
Gulls about shore to be seen at all times.
_Tearaght._--Feb. 6th, Kittiwakes first came on rock about this
time; left about Sept. 1st. "They commence to build about May 1st.
On May 24th only two eggs were found among hundreds of nests. The
nest-building is carried on by some after hatching has commenced with
others. A difficult business this nest-making seems to be, as the mud
or clay which makes up the foundation has to be carried from some soft
bank. Hundreds of them are employed about six weeks at this operation,
some going with the very small portion of mud they are able to take in
their beaks, others coming for more, the bank covered over with more in
the act of digging out. The whole is a continuous busy scene."
_Valentia._--Royal Gulls, one to four, Sept. 10th, 30th, Oct. 28th, and
Nov. 10th.
_Skelligs._--Sept. 16th, observed large flocks of Kittiwakes flying
S.S.W.; wind S.E. Grey Gulls noticed from September to January, and
two to four Black-backed Gulls occasionally. Kittiwakes fishing in
shelter of rock, Nov. 20th and Dec. 11th; wind strong gale, N.W. and W.
_Dursey Island._--Large flock of Gulls noted on April 7th, 25th, 27th,
and May 5th. A few on May 27th, and at intervals to July. Large flocks
on Aug. 25th and Sept. 18th, going W. Four Royal Gulls on Dec. 22nd.
Skua Gull.
_Galley Head._--Jan. 20th, flocks of five to seven Skua Gulls going W.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--Oct. 28th, two Skuas chasing Gulls.
_Tuskar Rock._--June 7th, flocks alighted on rock four mornings in
succession at same hour. Aug. 20th to 22nd, Skua Gulls in hundreds.
_Lough Swilly._--June 22nd, one "Boatswain Skua Gull."
_Valentia._--Nov. 22nd, four Skua Gulls.
Manx Shearwater.
_Barrels Rock Light-ship._--July 6th, "Mackerel Cocks" flying in
different directions.
_Rathlin Island._--April 12th, Shearwater began to arrive; 22nd, more
arrived.
_Tearaght._--Jan. 30th, "Mackerel Cock" in great numbers diving round
rock; observed a fortnight previous to this date. Feb. 25th, "Mackerel
Cock" (believed to be) left, always diving, and did not come on rock.
April 5th, note of the Shearwater first heard. Nov. 21st, "Mackerel
Cock" diving about the rock pretty plentifully. Not certain about this
bird. The Manx Shearwater left about Aug. 1st. It was heard frequently
during the summer, and always on very dark calm nights. The sounds,
being frequent and distinct, were, very impressive. When the moon would
rise, or it would clear, a single note was not to be heard.
Stormy Petrel.
_Coningbeg Light-ship._--Oct. 9th, five Mother Carey's Chickens caught
on deck, 5 a.m.; wind light, hazy. Oct. 15th, two Stormy Petrels about
ship; 28th, two caught on deck, 10.30 p.m.
_Arklow South Light-ship._--April '24th, one; wind light E.
_Tearaght._--Stormy Petrel very plentiful this year. They are not
much observed until July, from which time they continue breeding
until September. They make a noise which is a continuous chain of
articulations, and might be heard on a calm night a distance of 300
feet; this noise is kept up by those in the holes as well as those on
the wing.
_Skelligs._--Sept. 4th, two struck, 10.30 p.m., not killed; did not
notice any after this date. They breed here.
Birds not Identified.
_Rockabill._--"March 6th, large bird, name unknown, killed striking, at
3 a.m.; wind N., fresh, cloudy. Had long bill, and long black legs."
_Killybegs._--April 8th, "three strange birds, name unknown. White
fan-shaped tail, tipped with black; wings white, tipped with black;
white ring round neck; size of Sparrow; came from seaward, and remained
several days."
_Tearaght._--May 20th, "one bird, not known, about the size of a
Lapwing; colour of a Grey Plover, land-bred, fan-tail, tips of feathers
of tail white, chased by Crows."
_Tearaght._--Oct. 28th, "small bird, size of a Linnet; shoulders red or
copper-colour; breast and belly grey, also round neck; head tufted. It
remained about a week."
_Tearaght._--Nov. 18th, "a bird about the size of a Linnet came on
island; above eyes a white curved streak; eyes and round eyes black;
under head, round breast, a white ring, thence down belly, wings, and
back of a reddish or copper-colour; some white feathers in wing; top
of head black, and tail appears narrow and black. Two of these, one
readily distinguished from the other."
WEST, NEWMAN AND CO., PRINTERS, 54, HATTON GARDEN, LONDON, E.C.
* * * * *
Transcriber Note
Minor typos corrected. In previous editions, one locality was listed as
"Farne". In this edition, there is one reference to Farne Islands (p. 54)
all of the other locations are listed as "Farn" and left as is. Due to
space limitations, the table on page 81 was rotated 90°.