Teal Ringed in IcelandAuthor(s): J. E. FlynnSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 6, No. 3 (May, 1936), p. 75Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25532585 .

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May, 1936.J The Irish Naturalists' Journal. 75

STARLING AND REFLECTION.

I have been in the habit of putting oatmeal out on my bedroom window sill (uipstairs) during the cold weather. Early in January this year I heard a banging at the window, and saw that a Starling was hurling itself from the sill against the window pane, apparently fighting its own reflection.

On seeing me the bird ran along the sill, and then flew away. This occurred about 3 p.m. I left the room shortly afterwards and did not see or hear the bird again. Next morning I found a dead Starling on the same sill! I believe it is not uncommon for birds to fight their own reflections, but I

fancy it is seldom the battle is fought to the death.

Raford, Athenry, Co. Galway. KATHLEEN GOUGH.

TEAL RINGED IN ICELAND.

On 17th October I shot a female Teal, Anas c. crecca L., near 'Schu.ll, Co. Cork, with a ring on one leg marked thus?Mus. Nat. 5, Reykjavik,

Iceland, 66. This Teal was ringed through the scheme of bird-ringing started in Iceland by the authorities of the Museum of Natural History,

Reykjavik, in 1932. Mr. Magnus Bjornsson, with whom I communicated, informed me that this bird was ringed in the county of Skagafjordur, in

North Iceland, during the summer of 1935. Owing to an accident to one of his co-operators, Mr. Bjornsson could not give me the exact dlate of

ringing, but most birds, he said, " are ringed during the month of July."

Glengarriff, Co. Cork. J. E. FLYNN.

CROSSBILLS IN CO. CORK. .

I would like to record the occurrence of the Crossbill, Loxia c.

curvirostra L., during July, 1935, the first I have seen here since July, 1929. In The Times this species was reported from various parts of England over a wide area during July and August. This would point to one of their

periodical invasions of the British Isles ; it would be of interest, therefore, to know if observers in other parts of Ireland noticed a similar influx.

The first I saw were four birds, on. 29th June, and again four on 1st July? probably the same birds. Their numbers were increased by the 6th when a flock of thirty was seen, and from fifteen .to twenty on the 9th. Numbers decreased a little then, when from four to ten were seen nearly every day between the 10th and 17th. From that date none was seen?with the

exception of a single bird on 4th November?probably due to scarcity of

food; as there are not very many conifers in the woods here.

Glengarriff, Co. Cork. J. E. FLYNN.

NORTHERN GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKER IN CO. ANTRIM.

A male Northern Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dryobates m. major (h.) was found dead at Massereene, near Antrim, on 11th December, 1935, anc

presented to the Belfast Municipal Museum. The species has been verifiec

by Mr. H. F. Witherby. Belfast. J. A. SIDNEY STENDALL.

GREATER FORK-BEARD (PHYCIS BLENNOIDES) AT

CASTLEROCK, CO. LONDONDERRY.

A fish was washed up on the strand, after a storm, at Castlerock, Co.

Londonderry, on 23rd December, 1935, and sent to me for identification by Mr. W. G. Byron. It measured 23J ins., weighed 4? lb., and turned out to be a fine specimen of the Greater Fork-beard, or Forked Hake (Phycis

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