Humming Bird Hawk Moth Macroglossa stellatarum L. on Rathlin IslandAuthor(s): C. MacMahonSource: The Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 15, No. 5 (Jan., 1966), p. 155Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25537013 .

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155

strung between stones of about fist size. Araneus cucurbitinus, one of the orb web spiders, is able to vary s^nd adjust its web pattern to suit convenience

(Bristow in World of Spiders 1958) and it would seem that the webs observed were so modified for the purpose of trapping small shore flies.

Irish records were consulted but we were unable to trace any previous record for this variety in Ireland although the species has been recorded outside

Co. Down. JOHN W. GREAVES.

Ulster Museum.

HUMMING BIRD HAWK MOTH MACROGLOSSA STELLATARUM L. ON RATHLIN ISLAND

This insect was seen on Sunday, 23rd May, 1965 in the townland of Kinkeel, which is on the "leg of the island, or that part which runs south towards the mainland.

The weather at the time was sunny and hot, with a very light wind, no greater than Force 2.

The humming noise of the wings first attracted my attention, and the specimen was seen hovering over a patch of sea pink (Armeria maritima) and thyme (Thymus drucei). I knew it at once, although I had never seen a live specimen before, by its dark front wings and the orange colour of the hind wings. I also saw darkish patches towards the posterior end of the abdomen. The identification was substantiated by Mr J. Greaves of the Ulster Museum. We attempted to capture the moth in order to photograph it later, but its darting

movements proved too difficult for us. I believe that this is the first record for this moth for Rathlin Island.

C. MACMAHON. Stranmillis Training College, Belfast.

AMPHIBIA AND REPTILE RECORDS IN IRELAND Work has started on plotting the distribution of Rana temper aria L., Bufo

calamita Laurenti, Triturus vulgaris L., and Lacerta vivipara Jacquin, on a ten kilometer grid system for Ireland. I would be very grateful for any records of the above species with dates, localities and number of individuals seen. Acknowledge

ment will be made to all records. Please send records to the address below:?

DAVID CABOT. Department of Zoology, University College, Galway.

WHOOPER AND BEWICK SWANS, CYGNUS CYGNUS L., AND CYGNUS BEWICKII YARRELL IN IRELAND 1956/66

I would be grateful for any records of the above species for the winter 1965/66. Notes should include proportion of first winter birds, brood size and any remarks on feeding behaviour. A special watch should be kept for "blue" Whooper Swans. During the summer 1965 a total of 161 full grown Whooper Swans were coloured with blue sheep dye in west central Iceland. Full acknowledgement will be made to any records in a forthcoming paper on the status and distribution of these two species in Iceland. Please send all records to the address below: ?

DAVID CABOT. Department of Zoology, University College, Galway.

TERN RINGED IN SOUTH AFRICA RECOVERED IN CO. DOWN For some years, members of the Copeland Bird Observatory have been

ringing terns and blackheaded gulls on Burial Island off Ballyhalbert, and on the 19th June, 1965, Messrs. T. K. Edwards, D. Barr and J. G. Gray made the

first and only visit of 1965 for the purpose of ringing mainly the young of sandwich terns, roseate terns and blackheaded gulls. As valuable information

was being obtained by catching adult sandwich terns elsewhere, an electrically propelled clap net, constructed by Mr. T. K. Edwards, was used to trap a number of adults for ringing.

One of the adults caught had a well worn ring oni one of its legs with the name Pretoria Museum. This was a most exciting find and gave rise to

speculation why a South African ringed bird should now be nesting in Ireland. The information since received from South Africa shows that this tern was ringed as a fully grown bird on the 18th January, 1956, at Mossel Bay, Cape Province, and information has also been received from the British Trust for Ornithology that this is the first bird of any species ringed south of the equator and recovered in the British Isles. Several sandwich terns ringed as pulli at Burial Island have been recovered elsewhere, three in Cumberland, one in France, and one ringed in June, 1964, was recoverd three months later in Sierra Leone,

West Africa. J. G. GRAY.

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