Mature Wild Brown Trout in AugustAuthor(s): Martin O'GradySource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 21, No. 2 (Apr., 1983), p. 95Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25538720 .

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Ir. Nat. J. Vol. 21 No. 2 1983 95

The bird was observed from 11.45 hours to 13.40 hours BST at a distance of 27-36m in excellent

conditions with bright sun to the left of and slightly behind the observers. At 13.40 hours both the stilt

and accompanying gulls were disturbed by boatmen but the bird was seen flying off low over the water

by Mairead Rutledge who described the flight as being rather slow and some what erratic, the bird

tilting from side to side, with the neck outstretched and the pink legs as being very conspicuous,

trailing out well beyond the tail. It gave one call as it rose, a sharp yelp *'Yip-yip-yip". Weather conditions during the previous night had been stormy with NE winds force 5 gusting to

force 7.

This is the 10th record for this species in Ireland and the first since 1949.

Garden Flat, 64 Pembroke Road, Dublin 4 GARRY DOR AN

A SECOND IRISH RECORD OF THE AUSTRALIAN LAND PLANARIAN GEOPLANA SANGUINEA (MOSELEY) VAR ALBA (DENDY)

In November 1981, Det. Garda Liam Byrne informed the senior author that ''unusual looking worms" were common in his suburban garden at Marley, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin (O 1527). On 28

November, he collected three specimens while digging, the species occurring in the soil, etc. The live

specimens were passed on to the O'Connors and on 4 December, the single surviving specimen was

sent to Jones who identified it as Geoplana sanguinea (Moseley) \ssalba (Dendy) despite the head

being missing. On 15 February 1982, Mr. Byrne supplied four live specimens from his garden. The

largest one was sent alive to Jones. This specimen was mature and it was possible to confirm the

species identification by sectioning. The following brief description of the external features will enable the species to be recognised in

Ireland. Specimens examined were up to 80 mm long when fully extended and 4mm wide. The colour

was a uniform pale brown but with a distinctive red anterior. There were numerous very small eyes

extending in a single row down both sides of the body from the very front where these are densely

packed, to the posterior where they are sparse. The Dublin record is an interesting one. G. sanguinea is an Australian and New Zealand species

and was only recently reported from the British Isles (Jones, H. D. 1981. /. Nat. Hist. 15; 837-843). Previous records consist of an individual found under a wet doormat 'outside a soggy backdoor in

shade and squalor on an earth path' in the Isles of Scilly, other specimens occurring under a nearby flattened damp cardboard box; specimens in a compost heap in a garden near Poole, England, and in

gardens in the vicinity of Belfast. The species had been found in the last named area for several years but had only been recently recognised (Jones op. cit.).

The origin of the Dublin population is unknown. The worms may have been introduced with soil

attached to imported plants. Mr. Byrne's garden is situated beside Marlay Park, now a County Council park. This property consists of 214 acres including woodlands, ponds and park land. In

excess of 300 species and varieties of trees and shrubs are to be found in the grounds including some

very rare species of conifers. This park, which has been cultivated for several hundred years, may have been the site of the importation.

Voucher specimens have been deposited in the National Museum of Ireland and the Ulster

Museum. The authors wish to thank C. Birch, L. Byrne and C. E. O'Riordan for their assistance.

C/o National Museum of Ireland, Dublin 2. M. A. O'CONNOR, J. P. O'CONNOR

Department of Zoology, University of Manchester, Manchester Ml3 9PL. H. D. JONES

MATURE WILD BROWN TROUT IN AUGUST A detailed study of wild brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) populations in Lough Inchiquin, Co Clare

(R 2790), was undertaken from 1976 to 1978 0'Grady (1981 Ph.D. thesis, NUI). In August, 1976 and

1977, gravid and partially spent trout were captured in the lake. Two ripe hens, one partially spent hen

and one ripe cock fish were noted in a total sample of 591 fish. Mature wild brown trout have not been

recorded previously in Irish lakes at this time of year. Few wild fish mature before October lst in any catchment in Ireland.

Lough Inchiquin is situated at the southern edge of the Burren, an extensive limestone region with many subterranean passages. Frost and Brown (1970 The Trout Collins) report that a reduction in

daylight hours can result in an advancement of maturation dates. Since gravid trout are rarely encountered before November in Inchiquin, it is possible that the August fish spent some time

underground in darkness and that their cycle was therefore advanced.

Central Fisheries Board, Mobhi Boreen, Glasnevin, Dublin. MARTIN O'GRADY

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