Page:The Natural History of Ireland vol1.djvu/104

 find inhabited by the red grouse. The species is very rare in the north-west of Donegal.* A brood of these birds, taken some years ago from a nest on the mountains of the county of Mona- ghan, was reared by Captain Bonham of the 10th Hussars, for the purpose of being tried in falconry ; but they proved very in- tractable. A gentleman, who resided in the last named county, has informed me of the following circumstance : — A "large hawk" (most probably a marsh harrier) having pounced upon a water-hen (Gallinula chloropus) which was swimming among some reeds at the edge of a lake near his house, he fired at it when carrying oft' its prey, which was instantly dropped into the lake. The hawk, although apparently uninjured by the shot, did not attempt to recover the bird from the water, but perched on a tree, remained for several hours, patiently watching it until wafted by the light wind ashore, when the quarry was recaptured.

When in Dublin, in August, 1836, I saw a marsh harrier which had been trapped, with a chicken as bait, at Newbridge Castle, near Swords (co. Dublin). In 1838, this species was not uncommon, and bred about Clonmel (Tipperary) ; but in 1845, owing to the vigilance of gamekeepers, it had been rendered almost extinct in that neighbourhood. t It is common in Kerry, J and not uncommon about Youghal (Cork), whence young birds have been brought to Mr. E. Ball. This gentleman remarks : — "It is known in the south under the name of kite, and is also called the snipe hawk ; [may not the hen harrier also be meant under this name ?] One of these birds, which I had some years since, lost a leg by accident. I supplied it with a wooden one, and the dexterity it acquired with this stump, both in walking and killing rats, was astonishing When a rat was turned out, the bird pounced at it, and never failed to pin the animal's head to the ground with the stump, while a few grasps of the sound limb soon terminated the struggle."

When proceeding from Constantinople to the Valley of Sweet Waters, on the 14th of May, 1841, I remarked an adult bird of this species.

Mr. J. V. Stewart. f Mr. R. Davis.

t Mr. T.F. Neligan.