Squirrels in IrelandAuthor(s): Owen SmithSource: The Irish Naturalist, Vol. 2, No. 12 (Dec., 1893), p. 324Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25520542 .

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324 The Irish Naturalist. condition, in fact quite fat.' The bill has shrunk very much in the drying,

when fresh it was thicker-looking, and the end so widened out that it was quite spoon-shaped, and lollowed inside." This form of Macrorhampus has not hitherto heen recorded for Europe, but it is very doubtful if it is even of subspecific value. The two formis gl iseus and scoloPatceus cannot be distinguished by their plumage, and even the more reliable measure nients of bill, tarsus, and wing appear to completely intergrade, as shown by a series of examples in the Museum of Cambridge University.

Thus a specimen procured by Mr. Kendall at Great Bear Lake measures only-bill, 2 in., tarsus I73 in., wing, S7'Tn., whereas a specimen obtained at York Factory measures-bill, 2 95 in., tarsus, 15 in., wing, 5-9 in., in fact it was the largest bird of the series examined. Mr. Coburn's speci

men measures-bill, 2 65 in., tarsus, i 6 in., wing, 6 iil.-G. E. H. BARREnT. HAMItTON, Trinity College, Cambridge

Sabine's Snipe-A Correctlon.-I have just had aletter from my friend, Mr. Arthur Brooke, of Killybegs, iilforming me that the Sabine's Snipe (dark form of Common Sniipe) mentioned in the last issue of the Irish Naturalist as having been shot in Co. Tyrone, was shot, as a matter of fact, on the mountains near Bonny Glen, Inver, Co. Donegal, by Mr. R. W. Peebles.-H. C. HART, Carrablagh, Co. Donegal.

Night-Heron (Nycticorax griseus), near Belfast.-I have recentfr had the pleasure of examining in the flesh a Night-Heron. It

was shot on the evening of the 26th October on that piece of waste land just outside Belfast known as the "People's Park." In the moonlight the gentlenian who shot it mistook it for an owl by its flight, which he

describes as'slow and lazy. It is a young bird in the beautiful spotteCd plumage; sex not ascertained. To Ireland it is a very rare visitor, Mr.

More stating that only ten or twelve occurrences are known. This specimen has been most naturally mounted by Mr. Sheals.-RoBnRT PATTERSON. Malone Park. Belfast.

Little Auk (Mergulus alle) In Belfast.-On November 8th a bird which had been picked up alive in the yard of a house in the middle of Belfast, was brought to me for identification. It was a Little Auk in winter plumage and quite uninjured. The species is very rarely seen here.-ROBuIRT PATTIBRSON, Malone Park, Belfast.

MA MMA L S.

Squirrels In Irelanct.-I wish to draw attention of readers of the Irish Naturalist to the remarkable increase of squirrels in Ireland.

Localities in which they were quite unknown a few years ago are now plentifully stocked and will soon, doubtless, send off colonies to occupy neighbourhoods that are yet unmolested. Demesnes in this locality, such as Brittas, Aclare and Whitewood, in which, to my own knowledge, they were quite unknown, have, within the last two or three years, become a favourite haunt of these animals. During a late excursion to the famous abbey and ruins at Bective in this county, I was highly amused by the surprising agility of the squirrels. One, as if to show off his acrobatic ability, kept pace with oux horse by skipping along from twig to twig on top of the hedgerow, along the roadway; while another,

more grown, sat miaking up his toilet on the topmost spray of a well grown beech, unmindful of the swinging of the bough in a soft summer breeze. Bective and Clady, with all their historic and prehistoric asso

ciations, just required this last touch (a little mammalian life iIn the picture) to make the scene truly exquisite. And yet, I was told by our " jarvey " that plentiful as squirrels are now, about Clady, a few

years ago they were quite unknown around there. "They came," he

said, " and no one knew how." Probably from about Dublin, where, I

believe, the woods have been inhabited for many years.-OWEN SMul, Nobber, Co. Meath,

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