The Natural History of Cape Clear Island 9781472597601, 9781408137659, 9781408137635

Citation preview

Foreword by Major R. F. RUTTLEDGE M.C. First President of the Irish Wildbird Conservancy

Why Cape Clear Island? As long ago as 1949 it became obvious that it was essential t o have a bird observatory o n our Irish coast if the study of migration was t o progress. Much thought was given to the selection of a site that could satisfy the objects of the project and the choice lay between Great Saltee off the coast of Co. Wexford and somewhere in the south-west. The deciding factors were weighted in favour of Great Saltee because previous studies had suggested that the greatest volume of migration of both immigrant and emigrant species took place in the south-east of Ireland. Saltee, therefore, became an observatory in 1950. There were special difficulties peculiar to the place, however, and it seemed wise to have an alternative site available should Saltee not remain a practical proposition. Indeed, even with Saltee functioning, it was very desirable t o have another observatory on our south coast. It was thus that Cape Clear Island came into the picture. Since it is an island, the Cape has the advantage of being a clearly-defined area and it is the most southerly projection o n the south coast. Accordingly, I reconnoitred the island during 27th t o 30th April 1959. This time was chosen because it is when spring migration is usually at its height on Great Saltee. As it turned out, the visit was an unlucky one and in retrospect one can see that this was because weather conditions were against movements. Although I worked hard every day, 1 saw practically no migrant species and came away disappointed. Moreover, I felt that the difficulties for work on the island were formidable: its relatively large size, the large amount of cover and the hilly terrain, for instance. I did not even consider a n autumn visit. How wrong I was in all this! Contrary t o my feelings that the island would be hard t o work, experience has shown that the places t o which passerines make their way are relatively few and are constantly used: Cotter's garden, the Coastguard House garden, Escallonia garden, the Youth Hostel garden and Central and West Bogs. All these places looked to me t o have potentialities if migrants ever came t o the island, but they held none that 1 could find. I am afraid that my answers to enquiries from those in Br~tainwho had t h e idea of an observatory on the Cape were not encouraging; anything but! However, Tim Sharrock would not be daunted and plans for an observatory there were soon under way. It was founded in autumn 1959 and from then onwards the results so greatly to its credit have accumulated and the Observatory has deservedly earned world-wide renown. The Observatory has added t o the migration picture in a most important and marked degree. Undoubtedly its geographical position favours this. It constantly receives vagrants, many of them being species which have rarely if ever been previously recorded in Ireland. Indeed, it seems to act as a veritable magnet for these strays, whether their origin be Europe, Asia or America. Fair Isle in Shetland is the Mecca for British ornitholopsts, yet after only one

Editor's preface The introduction by Dr L. Harrison Matthews t o The handbook o f British mammals begins, 'This book has had a long gestation'. Of the present book, it may be said that incubation was prolonged but our helpful publishers ensured that fledging was swift. The primary purpose of this book is t o summarise the results and achievements of the first 1 1 years' work by Cape Clear Bird Observatory. Naturally, most effort has been devoted t o the birds but over the years experts on other groups of animals and plants have visited Cape Clear Island and used the Observatory's facilities. We have a dream of the entire spectrum of natural history being studied in detail on this fascinating small island, but this has not yet been realised. The fungi and many groups of invertebrate animals have never been studied. While this book summarises what has been done, it also highlights the fact that even more awaits investigation in the years to come. In guiding the authors of specialist chapters, I asked them t o combine scientific accuracy with readability. The purist may feel deprived, for complete lists of species and detailed scientific data are generally lacking. But the places for these are, surely, in the scientific journals and the Observatory's annual reports? Most naturalists study animals and plants because they enjoy doing so. Even the fortunate few of us who are professionals remain amateurs a t heart and get pleasure from watching or finding wildlife in its natural surroundings. This book is written for the general reader with an interest in natural history. How many of us are experts on lichens or slugs? Yet the chapters on these and other subjects have kindled my interest and I hope will d o the same for others. Ornithologists have the best of both worlds. The specialist will find that the 'List of birds' summarises the status of every species recorded on the island and histograms showing the seasonal pattern of all but a few species are a unique feature of this book. Those with a less fanatical interest in birds will find other sections written in a style which may evoke some of the atmosphere of the island. This may not be a book which anyone will read from cover t o cover at o n e sitting, but I hope that it will inform and sometimes entertain those who dip into its pages.

J. T. R. SHARROCK 31st December 1972

Acknowledgements The editor expresses his most grateful appreciation and thanks t o all of those mentioned in the following paragraphs. The wide scope of this book is due t o the ten authors who contributed specialist chapters. The editor especially appreciates their willingness t o conform t o the overall plan of the book and their acquiescence t o badgering. Expert advice and critical comments on the non-ornithological chapters were generously provided by E. N. Arnold (amphibians), W. N . Bonner (fishes), Dr R. A. D. Cameron (molluscs), Dr P. Cornelius (jellyfish), Dr F. C. Fraser (cetacea), J . Heath (lepidoptera), Dr M. P. Kerney (molluscs), Prof P. Newbould (higher plants) and Dr H. N. Southern (mammals). Drafts of the ornithological and general chapters benefitted from criticism by H. M. Dobinson, Miss S. C. L. Fogden, Robert Gillmor, T. Q. Green, C. D. Hutchinson, H. J. M. Messer and K. Preston. The main workload fell upon Sue Fogden, Clive Hutchinson and Ken Preston. I did not always follow all of their advice but the book gained much from their comments. Every part of this book was read at each stage - manuscript, typescripts and proofs - by Mrs Erika Sharrock, without whose help the editor would probably have lost heart and emigrated. The list of birds was typed from the editor's manuscript - after deciphering by Sue Fogden. The graph, maps and histograms accompanying the list of birds were drawn by the editor but the shading on the histograms was done by various members of the Observatory's Council and the lettering was done by Miss Karen Rayner. Many people loaned their photographs of the island t o the editor, who wishes to thank all who did this, not only those whose photographs were eventually included in the small selection in this book. The contents of this book depend entirely on the visitors to the Observatory who, over the years, have systematically and conscientiously recorded their observations in the log-books. The graph relating to Gannets and the drawings of Long-tailed Duck, Black Guillemot, Firecrest and Richard's Pipit are published by permission of the editors of British Birds; the drawing of the Long-tailed Duck also by permission o f the Wildfowl Trust; the drawing of the Dartford Warbler by permission of the British Trust for Ornithology; and the weather map by permission of the Controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Finally, the editor wishes t o express his thanks to the publishers, especially to Trevor Poyser, without whose encouragement this book might still be only partly completed.

An introduction to the isllznd The journey from the mainland harbour of Baltimore to Cape C!. i Island takes about forty minutes in the island's mail-boat N a o m h Ciaran. If the coursc is to the south o f Sherkin Island, there are fine views of Cape Clear's cliffs and the excitement of passing through Gascanane Sound with the jagged rocks of Illaunbrock and Carrigmore. The more usual course is to the north of S h e r k ~ n , navigating the narrow channels between the islands, passing Cornmon Seals basking on the rocks in the sun and then crossing Roaringwater Bay with its divers, rafts of auks and other seabirds. On exceptionally calm days the mail-boat passes between lllauneana and Cape Clear Island - hair-raising with the rocks of Oglagh and Oglaghlar jutting out of the sea under the bows, until one remembers the skill of the skipper - but the first close view of the island usually comes on entering Trawkieran, the north harbour. This is a delightful natural haven with sheltering cliffs. There are always welcoming faces waiting for the arrival of the mail-boat and those staying at the Bird Observatory have only a short walk round the harbour to a reviving cup of tea. Cape Clear Island lies off the south-west corner of the Irish mainland. I t is the most southerly point of Ireland apart from the Fastnet Rock, which lies four miles t o the south-west. Cape Clear and Sherkin Islands together form the southeastern arm of Roaringwater Bay. The two islands are separated by Gascanane Sound which T. C. Corker in Kerry Pustorals (1 843), reports 'is singular for a usage which requires that all who cross it for the first time should improvise at least a couplet. otherwise some mischance niay be the consequence'. If 1 had known that a few years ago perhaps 1 would not suffer so much in the local boats! The island is three miles long and, at its broadest, just over a mile wide 1,578 acres. It is composed almost entirely of Old Red Sandstone. The folding which took place in the past has given most of the island a considerable south-easterly dip. The effects of folding and erosion have produced a spectacul;~r coastline with jutting rocks, many caves, blowholes and stacks. Being the tip of a partly submerged peninsula, Cape Clear gets little shelter from the winds sweeping in from the Atlantic. Its position strongly influenoccs the climate and the range in temperatures is very small, with means of 7 ' ~(45 F) i n January and 1 ~ O C( 5 9 O ~ in ) July. Frosts are rare except on the tops of the hills and even in severe winters there are few falls of snow and they seldom stay for more than a day. The mildness is nice but the wind and rain are not so helpful t o the farming community. In winter gales, salt spray reaches all but the most sheltered corners and the effects of this are particularly noticeable o n the exposed and bleak moorland areas in the west and south of the island. The farmland is used mainly t o grow potatoes, with smaller areas devoted t o oats, wheat, turnips and cabbages. There are only a small number of cows, a few goats and no sheep. The land is extremely rocky, this accounting for the huge dry stone walls that were made using material cleared from the fields. There are no enclosed fields of more than three acres and many as small as a third of an acre the average is less than one acre. Hardly any of them have -

-

The icl~clzdilnd its people The majority of the hundreds of small islands which dot the west coasts of Britain and lreland are now deserted. A few, like Cape Clear Island retain a small c o m ~ n u n i t yfacing an uncertain future. At times their isolation has been an advantage, but more recently it has insulated Lhem from the attractive social and technological changes taking place o n the mainland. Cape Clear Island and the neighbouring island of Sherkin are the peaks ot a submerged peninsula which has its furthest tisible extent in the Fastnet Rock some four miles t o the south-west. The island's scenery is dominated by ribs of rock which outcrop throughout most of its length, and there is little shelter for the few trees that resist the gales. Visitors t o the island cannot fail t o notice the impact of the geology, t h e climate and the sea o n the scenery and the community. An early recognition of this is t o be found in a quotation from a plan of the island dated 1658: 'The Parish and Island of Capecleare Lyeth two Leagues t o the south-west of Baltimore - and extending itself from East t o West two miles and a quater in length but is very narrow - Especially in the Midst where it is almost by the sea disoiyned. 'The quality of the Land within is Arable pasture Rocky and Ffurzy, which Furze is their only fewell being theres noe wood or trees growing in it and by reason it is Bleak and Cold most of the inhabitants doe c o ~ n m o n l y in the Beginning of Winter leave it and in the following Spring return.' The predominant rock is Old Red Sandstone but the geology contains a complicated mixture of slates and shales with quartzite intrusions. T h e rock strata which dips a t between 70 and 80 degrees throughout t h c width of the island, shows that the island is only a small part of one side of a vast fold in the Earth's crust, formed by the mountain-building pressure from the south-east. Erosion by the sea and glacial action have sliced through the layers giving rise t o the ribbed appearance of the island's surface. Differential erosion has taken place where the strata meets the sea, giving rise t o numerous caves along all the south-west and north-east facing cliffs. Much of the soil of t h s region is derived from glacial drift material. At the eastern side of Ineer (the south harbour) a corlsiderable amount of rnorainic o r fluvially deposited material can be sccn. Much of the island is covered with rather infertile soil of the 'Podzol' group. This is dark brown o r black, containing many roots of heather and gorse, and has a very high moisture content. 111 contrast t o the leached moorland soils, there are Inany pockets of soil of the Brown Earth type which is much better drained and has a good crumb structure. This soil, except where gradient o r rockiness are excessive, is very suitable for pasture o r cultivation. Soil depth on the island vanes from a few inches in the case of the skeletal moorland soils, to several feet in parts of the Glen - a pit dug in the grounds of the Youth Hostel showed soil t o a depth o f seven fcet. Around Lough Errul the soil is very sandy. This appears t o be a result of the decomposition of the surrouding sandstone hills, and the subsequent collection of the sand particles in the depression.

The island names Most of the island's coves, cliffs, rocks and hills have beautifully concise, descriptive Gaelic names but over the years t h e meanings of some have become lost. Anglicised versions of the original Gaelic appear o n Ordnance Survey maps and translation from these is n o t easy. The derivations of some, such as Bulligfoiladirk, Carriglure, Coosagylanieragh, Coosayloslough, Knockcaranteen, Lough Errul, Oglaghlar, Pointnapesta and Stuckaunfoilnabena, are now unknown. Translations can be given kr t h e majority of t h e names, however, and t h e following list is derived from information supplied b y the late Kieran Sheehan of Killickaforavane, a list in the Journal o f the Cork Historicaland Archaeological Society published in 1 9 3 5 and translations by Mrs Rachel Hutchinson; it has been checked by Paddy Burke of Cummer. Townlands Ardgort Ballyieragh Carhoona Comillane Croha Gortnalour Keenleen Killickaforavane Knockanacohig Knockannamaurnagh Lissamona

High Field Western Townland Quarters (sub-divisions of land) Depression in the Hills; Hollow of the Island Hills; The Rough Uneven Place Field of the Books (it is said that a monastery once stood there) Lament of the Linen; The Stubble Old Burial Ground Strange Hillock; Hillock of the Strangers; O'Cohig's Hillock (the O'Cohigs were once one of the great tribes of West Cork) Hill of Lamentation; Hillock of the Limpets Turf where the Fairies Dwelt; Lis of the Turf (a lis is a ring-fort or fairy-fort)

Places Ardatruha Point Blananarragaun Caenroan Carrigacuskeam Carrigadda Carrigclare Carrigieragh Carrigmore Carrignashoggee

Point of the Strongest Current Rock of the Bream Slipway of the Seals Rock of the Footsteps Long Rock Clear Rock Western Rock Big Rock Rock of the Shags

Lict ofthe birds SUMMARY A total of 244 species was identified at Cape Clear Island up to the end of 1969. Only two of these (Pheasant and Corn Bunting) were not recorded during 1959-69 but almost 100 were seen on fewer than ten occasions and can be regarded as vagrants. O n the other hand, more than a third of the species (88) are likely t o be seen in a day's watching which includes an hour of sea-watching, if a special visit is made at the time of year when they are commonest. The island's regular breeding species number 41, and a further seven have nested at least once since the Observatory opened in 1959. Most of the rare birds recorded o n the island breed in various parts of Europe or in Greenland. At least 21 species, however, came from further afield. These are as follows: five from Asia (Ross's Gull, Needle-tailed Swift, Yellow-browed Warbler, Pallas's Warbler and Richard's Pipit), one from Africa or Asia (Little Swift), four from the oceans of the southern hemisphere (Black-browed Albatross, Great Shearwater, Sooty Shearwater and Wilson's Petrel) and 11 from America (dowitcher, White-rumped Sandpiper, Pectoral Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Sabine's Gull, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Olive-backed Thrush, Red-eyed Vireo, American Redstart, White-throated Sparrow and Rose-breasted Grosbeak).

INTRODUCTION This list includes all species recorded o n Cape Clear Island up t o 3 1st December 1969. Rarity records have been included only if they have been accepted by the appropriate authority (1959, British Birds Rarities Committee and the editor of the Irish Bird Report; 1960-69, the editor of the Irish Bird Report). The full descriptions of all species recorded o n five o r fewer occasions in Ireland have been published in the Observatory's annual reports. Throughout this list the terms used t o describe numbers of birds are based on the 1 I-year averages for 1959-69 (per hour for birds involved in sea-passage and per day for other species):

\

Abundant

I 0 0 o r more

Common

less than 100

Scarce

less than 10

Rare

less than 1

Very rare

less than 0.1

Vagrant

10 or fewer records in the I1 years

per day (landbirds) )

or per hour (seabirds)

1

Some good days Everyone who has visited the Cape regularly will have had memorable days. Each year there are a few days when there are especially large movements, or an unusual number of rarities or a special atmosphere, and such times stick in the memory. Some idea of what a day's bird-watching on Cape can be like may be given by relating the events of three days which were especially memorable for me. I make no apology for my personal choice being biased. 9th October 1959 I was the only observer o n the island in October 1959 and the first few days of the month were rather dull. There were hardly any migrants o n 7th October only a Ring Ouzel and a Red-breasted Flycatcher. The next day a south-east gale blew up and from lunch-time onwards there was heavy rain. The day's birdwatching produced only a Turtle Dove, two Blackcaps and five Goldfinches. I had no reason to suspect that things were going to improve and watching conditions were impossible. This was the day of the General Election in Britain and, having no radio, I invited myself into the warmth and comfort of Father Walsh's house for the evening. We sat up together, chatting, drinking raspberrycordial-and-beer shandies and listening t o the election results. At 3 a.m. o n 9th October I returned to my cold sleeping-bag across the road at the house which is now the Youth Hostel, noting that the wind was still south-east force 8 and that the rain was now torrential. Another miserable day tomorrow, I thought. I rose late the next morning, for the wind still roared outside and it still poured with rain. As I cooked and ate breakfast, I could hear that the wind was moderating, though the rain continued. I ventured forth at about 9 a.m., by which time there was only the lightest breeze, the rain falling vertically. At once it was clear that many migrants had arrived overnight and I kicked myself for sitting up the previous evening and staying in bed so long. The trees in the garden were full of Blackbirds, and Robins seemed unusually numerous. I walked quickly up the Glen, noting occasional Phylloscopus warblers in odd patches of gorse where they usually never occur, and the first Fieldfare of the autumn flying over. The track leading to the Post Office was covered with a flock of feeding Chaffinches and, with them, an unfamiliar rufous bird with black head, ruffled t o a v e it a shaggy crest, striking white stripe extending backwards from the eye, a crescent-shaped breast band and elongated flame-orange spots along the flanks. It had pink legs and a soft Robin-like ticking call-note. I watched r and then hurried over t o a turnip Ireland's first Rustic Bunting f ~ half-an-hour field which earlier in the autumn had attracted migrants. I walked up and down the rows, flushing dozens of Blackbirds, Song Thrushes and Robins, and a score of Chiffchaffs, where the previous day there had been none. By this time I was certain that the largest fall of the autumn had occurred and, looking back 13 years, I now realise that panic set in. I was alone on a 1,500-acre island, with sole responsibility for documenting a big movement; there could be more rarities and counts of the common species were needed. Where should I go next? By this time the rain had stopped and it was calm. I returned t o the garden

Bon

The recording of seabird movements off Cape Clear is an important element in the Observatory routine. The ornithological abbreviation for this occupation is 'sea-watching', which suggests t o the non-ornithologist that we sit looking a t the blank ocean for hours o n end. Fortunately, at Cape Clear this is seldom the case. 'What would I see on a sea-watch in April? Or in July, o r in August?' These are frequent questions asked by potential visitors to the Observatory. There is, of course, n o such thing as an 'average sea-watch', since there are enormous variations according t o the weather and the time of day and from year t o year. Tens of thousands of birds may be seen during an hour one day and yet an h o u r the next day, or even later the same day, may produce only a dozen. By combining 11 years' records of 2,952 hours of systematic sea-watching, however, it is possible t o indicate what can reasonably be expected during a one-hour sea-watch in each mohth (see table o n p. 142). Auks are the commonest birds from November t o April, Manx Shearwaters are the commonest from May t o August and Gannets dominate in September and October. Passage is westerly and t h e average for the whole year is 500 birds per hour. Generally speaking, the largest movements occur just after dawn. T o take just one example: on 21st April 1965 4,940 auks flew west between 05.30 and 06.00 GMT, followed by 4,211 in the next half-hour, then 1,076, 796 and so o n

Cape Clear and senbird studies

Razorbills

South-west Ireland has long been recognised as an important area for seabirds, probably because the strong currents offshore promote much mixing between oceanic and coastal water and a high marine productivity. This renders the area attractive to a number of species of shoaling fish, including Herring Clupea harengus and Sprats C. sprattus during much of the year, and a variety of other species of differing sizes, including Common Mackerel Scomber scombrus, Horse Mackerel Trachurus trachurus, Blue Whiting Micromesistius poutassou and Pilchards Sardina pilchardus, during the latter part of the summer. As early as the middle of the 19th century it was appreciated that the area supports vast seabird breeding colonies and also attracts non-breeding populations of several southern shearwaters. This information was amplified by observations o n migration collected from the coastal lights by R. M. Barrington during the 1880's and 1890's. There was little study of the birds' actual movements until comparatively recently, however, so in order t o place this work in perspective it is necessary t o consider it against the background of observations elsewhere. For a long time, the character of bird movements was poorly understood and, evert when 18th century speculations that some birds spend the winter hibernating in mud at the bottom of ponds or fly t o the moon were displaced by observations that they must travel to other countries, there was still much argument about how they did it. One suggestion was that migrants follow great 'trunk routes' along prominent geographical features such as escarpments, river valleys and the coast, while the main alternative was that most birds travel o n a broad front, fast and at such a height that they are invisible from the ground. Observations of concentrated movements along the east coast of Britain tended t o reinforce the view that birds follow 'trunk routes', by preference flying against the wind - an

Mammals of the island Even the casual visitor t o Cape Clear lsland can hardly fail t o see the t w o most obvious species, Rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and Grey Seals Halichoerus grY PUS. The population of Rabbits has varied over the years, but they are usually so common that abundant is the only appropriate term t o apply. In late summer and autumn, especially, the vicinity of the warrens is alive with small Rabbits particularly around Lough Errul and in parts of the Glen. Their twitching pink ears, poking out from behind a blackberry bush, look remarkably like an exotic bird and have caused more than one ornithological red face. Rabbits also inhabit some of the crumbling cliff areas, especially in the west, and here they can be seen sitting on the ledges midst a line of auks - Razorbill, Razorbill, Puffin, Rabbit, Razorbill! No doubt these cliff-dwelling Rabbits avoid some of their usual predators, including Man, but small ones are taken regularly b y Great Black-backed Gulls. From 1959 t o 1962 Rabbits were abundant. In the summer of 1963, however, myxomatosis appeared for the first time. The island's population was clearly very susceptible and was decimated. Rabbits were recorded in the Observatory logs on only six occasions in 1964 and two occasions in 1965. By the autumn of 1966, however, a recovery was apparent and by the summer of 1967 they were quite frequent and even common in some localities, especially o n the cliffs. The following year saw a further increase and the population was as large as it had ever been, thus taking five years t o return to the pre-myxomatosis numbers. In July 1969, however, there was a further outbreak of the disease and a second crash occurred.

Dolphins, porpoises and whales

Killer Whales Few bird-watchers are so dedicated to ornithology that they can ignore such spectacular creatures as whales when they appear during a sea-watch. They come with n o warning suddenly a gigantic grey shape looms up into the binocular field of view and then slowly sinks, o r a school of black-and-white Killer Whales Orcinus orca ploughs majestically past. The south-western corner of Ireland is one of the best places on the coast of Britain and Ireland t o watch these magnificent mammals. Cape Clear Island, jutting out into the Atlantic, is positioned near to the whales' migration routes past western Britain and Ireland. Just as with seabirds, coast-huggng species pass close t o the island. Cape Clear lies near the edge of the Continental Shelf and oceanic species, therefore, also come within sight. Although a few have been seen in Koaringwater Bay, most observations of cetaceans have been off the southern points of the island. The commonest species is the Common Porpoise Phocoena phocoena. They have been seen in every month but are frequent only in late August and early September, when loose schools of up t o 250 have been seen. Dolphins occur mostly at the same time of year but the total number recorded is only about a quarter as many, though compact schools of up to 150 have occurred. On such occasions, the sprightly dolphins are often accompanied by flocks of feeding shearwaters, terns, gulls and Gannets, the birds diving in amongst the fast-moving cetaceans. The identification of black-and-white dolphins has proved to be very difficult, for there are four species which could occur. Two White-beaked Dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris in August 1968 are the only ones to be positively recorded in 11 years of observations. The presence of Common Dolphins Delphinus delphis and White-sided Dolphins Lagenorhynchus acutus has been suspected but not proved. The descriptions suggest, however, that about seven -

Slugs and snails It is a characteristic of islands that there is a paucity of species. This may be explained by the difficulty which animals have in reaching islands and by the limited range of island liabitats. Thus mainland Ireland, isolated for longer than Britain and with less climatic, edaphic and topographic variation, has only about two-thirds of the British species of non-marine molluscs. Cape Clear Island, again isolated, being poor in calcium and lacking habitats such as sand-dunes and deciduous woods, has even fewer. Only 4 2 species have been recorded (Greenwood and Lloyd-Evans 1968), o u t of about 180 known for Britain and Ireland as a whole. The shortness of t h e list also partly reflects the small number of malacologists who have visited t h e island. Of the Irish non-marine molluscs, most occur in at least one of t h e five vice-counties of Cork and Kerry. However, only 58 per cent have been found in all five and only 1 8 per cent in all but one (with five per cent in three, nine per cent in two, and ten per cent in only one). In this respect, the species o n Cape Clear are a decidedly non-random selection. Of the 4 2 species, 3 7 are found in all five vice-counties and four more occur in four vice-counties. I n other words, all but one of the non-marine molluscs on t h e island are species which are widespread o n the adjacent mainland. Of course, this could result either from the widespread species being the only ones t o have reached the island, o r from them being the only ones with flexible enough ecological requirements t o survive in the restricted environment of the island. Further work is needed t o discover which of these effects has been the more important, t o complete the list of species and t o elucidate the ecolo~icalrequirements of the animals, both o n the island and o n the adjacent mainland. Only one species occurs o n Cape Clear Island without being widespread o n the mainland. This is 'The Kerry Slug' Geomalacus rnaculosus, whose distribution in Britain and Ireland is confined t o the vice-counties of west Cork and south Kerry. I t is n o t common o n Cape Clear, but may be identified with ease. Usually about two inches long when extended, it is grey, brown, o r blackish, with variable and irregular whitish o r yellow spots. The latter serve t o identify it for n o other British arionid slug is spotted. But how does one distinguish a slug as an arionid? There are only three families of slugs ('shell-less snails') in Britain, so this is not difficult. The Testacellidae, which burrow and feed o n earthworms o r other slugs, have a small, external shell at t h e hind end of the body, whereas the Arionidae and Limacidae have only internal shells and these lie just behind the head. These two families are distinguished by the presence (Limacidae) o r absence (Arionidae) of a raised 'keel' in the mid-line of the back. In some limacids this is small and restricted to the extreme hind end but it is still adequate for identification since arionids are always completely 'round-backed'. The limited distribution of C. maculosus in Britain and Ireland is matched by its distribution abroad, where it is restricted to Portugal and north-west Spain (a single record from south-west Brittany in 1868 is perhaps an error o r refers to an introduced population, for it has not been confirmed there since). This restricted, yet disjointed, distribution makes the species most interesting,

ButterJies and moths Thanks t o the initiative of workers at the Observatory, a start has been made with a study of the butterflies of Cape Clear Island. It may come as a surprise t o learn that, out of a total of 28 species resident in Ireland, no fewer than 19 have been recorded from this island of less than 2% square miles. It will be borne in mind, however, that Cape Clear Island is only a little over one mile from Sherkin lsland which, in its turn, is less than a mile from the mainland. Such distances are no serious barrier t o the passage of butterflies and other flying insects. It must often happen that butterflies and moths are blown across from the mainland and, providing the females arriving in this way are able to find adequate supplies of their larval food-plants, they will doubtless lay eggs and possibly found new colonies. This almost certainly occurred in the case of the Marsh Fritillary Euphydryas aurinia, a beautiful species of which at least 200 examples were counted in a few hundred square yards of bog o n a single day in June 1967. This flourishing colony was doubtless formed when a wandering female came across an adequate supply of Devil's-bit Scabious Succisa pratensis. Owing t o the scarcity of trees, only butterflies whose larvae feed o n lowgrowing plants would be able to establish themselves in this way. Thus, we find that six species with grass-feeding larvae appear to be resident o n Cape Clear. The island's commonest butterfly is the Wall Pararge megera, which can be seen from May to October and is abundant* in June, August and September. As its name suggests, it is often seen sunning itself o n the stone walls. The Grayling Eumenis semele occurs only in July, August and September and, though usually scarce, is occasionally common in August. The Gatekeeper Maniola tithonus is always scarce and has also been seen only during those three months, most often in August. Meadow Browns M. jurtina occur from June t o September and are sometimes abundant in June and August. The Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus is o n occasions common in June and has also been recorded in July and September. Similarly, June is the month when most Ringlets Aphantopus hyperanthus are seen. They may be common then, and a few have been noted also in July and August. The larvae of the Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria also feed o n grass but the few imagos have been in September and may have been strays from the mainland. Ten more of the island's butterflies have larvae which feed o n low-growing plants. Dark Green Fritillaries Argynnis aglaia are usually scarce and appear only in late July and August. Small Tortoiseshells Aglais urticae are usually the first butterflies t o appear in the year, being recorded from March t o October; they are scarce during most of that period but are abundant o n occasions in August and September. Peacocks Nymphalis io have been seen in March t o June and August and October but they are always scarce except in August, when they have sometimes been abundant. Although recorded in every month from May *The adjectives used to describe frequency in this chapter refer to the average number of individuals seen in a day: 'abundant' means 100 or more, 'common' means less than 100, 'scarce' means less than ten and 'rare' means less than one.

0t h e y insects With the exception of the butterflies and moths, the insect fauna of Cape Clear lsland has been little studied. An interim report o n the preliminary stages of an entomological survey (Rees and Sutton 1960) split the island into five broad ecological divisions: moorland, rough pasture, arable land, marsh and shoreline. Attention was also drawn to a number of minor habitats, including streams, wells, introduced trees, cattle droppings and dry stone walls, which were found to be a particularly rich source of insect life. This preliminary survey in 1960 was carried out between 24th March and 7th April, which probably accounted t o some degree for the scarcity of insect life which was found. Subsequent observations made at more favourable times of year suggest that the fauna is much richer than initially believed. Very little collecting has been carried out in the moorland areas of the island, the only species recorded being the Heather Weevil Strophosomus retusus and the Mottled Grasshopper Myrmeleotettix maculatus. No doubt a large number of other species would be revealed by a close search of heather roots and grass tufts. A significant percentage of the island's area comes into the category of rough pasture and this carries the most varied fauna. Many species may be found by searching under stones or pieces of debris. One of the most common large insects found in this way is the beautifully sculptured ground-beetle Carabus granulatus. Ground-beetles (Family Carabidae) are well represented and 26 species have been recorded s o far. The rove-beetles (Family Staphylinidae) are also plentiful and the same number of species has been recorded. The largest is the Devil's Coach-horse Staphylinus olens, also commonly found under stones. T h e family Silphidae is represented by t w o species with very different habits. Phosphuga subrotundata, a fairly large brown beetle often found sheltering under stones, is unusual in feeding almost exclusively o n snails. The second species is the Sexton Beetle Necrophorus investigator, a large black beetle with prominent orange stripes across the elytra (wing cases), which may be found under the dead bodies of birds or small mammals. It excavates the soil from under the carcass until it becomes buried and then lays its eggs there, ensuring an ample supply of food for the developing larvae. The dung of horses and cattle provides an interesting microhabitat for a number of insects. So far, eight species of beetle belonging to the family Scarabaeidae have been recorded from dung, including the large black Dor Beetle Geotrupes stercorarius. The Common Yellow Dung Fly Scatophaga stercorarium is a familiar sight, sitting in large numbers o n cow pats. The larvae of this species feed in cow dung but the adult flies are predacious, feeding on small, soft-bodied insects. Another species associated with dung is Mesembrina meridiana, a large black fly with conspicuous yellow wing bases, which commonly suns itself on stone walls in summer. The larvae of this species feed in cattle or horse dung. Two species of grasshopper are associated with rough pasture o n the island. These are the Common Field Grasshopper Corthippus brunneus and the Common

OTHER INSECTS 167 Green Grasshopper Omocestus viridulus. As its name suggests, the former prefers open, dry grassland and is frequently associated with agricultural land, while the latter shows a preference for lush grassland and is generally t o be expected in damper parts of the island. The fauna of arable land is mostly confined t o the margins of fields, little but springtails (Collembola) and a few other minute insects occurring in t h e tilled areas. Two species of beetle that are known t o be pests are the Turnip Flea Beetle Phyllotreta nemorum and the click-beetle Agriotes lineatus, whose larva is the notorious wireworm. The Strawberry Weevil Otiorrhynchus sulcatus is also common, but this species almost certainly feeds o n a number of wild hedgerow plants. The fauna of the field margins is very similar to that of rough pasture, although the range of species is more limited. The wet areas of the island, particularly the Ballieragh bogs and Lough Errul, provide a range of habitats for many species of aquatic and semi-aquatic insects. The aquatic species require special collecting techniques and so far only the water beetles have been studied. These include the Whirligig Beetle Gyrinus sp. which may be seen gyrating about the surface in search of small insects that have fallen into the water. The dragonflies have aquatic larvae but the adults may be seen flying about the Ballieragh bogs in spring and summer. Of the four species of dragonfly recorded, three are of the smaller, more delicate kind known as damsel flies - Ischnura elegans, Lestes sponsa and Coenagrion puIchellum - which hover around the margins of standing water o r a t the edges of slow-running streams. The fourth species (Aeschna juncea) is one of the larger, more robust hawker dragonflies, so called for their habit of 'hawking' over open water in search of other flyinginsects o n which they prey. Caddis flies resemble drab, slow flying moths with wings covered in fine hairs instead of scales. The larvae of all Irish caddis flies are aquatic and, of the four species recorded from the island, two (Limnephilus centralis and Limnephilus marmoratus) are associated with stagnant o r slowmoving water, while the others (Philopotamus montanus and Agapetes fuscipes) are t o be found in streams. An interesting metallic copper o r green coloured beetle that may be found quite commonly in marshy areas is the leaf-beetle Donacia versicolorea. The larva feeds underwater o n pond weeds and obtains its oxygen from t h e air spaces in the plant stem. Flies of the family Tabanidae often make their presence felt while one is collecting in damp areas, as these include the blood-sucking clegs Haernatopota sp. which frequently turn their attention t o Man. The roads of Cape Clear, bounded o n either side by dry stone walls and, in many sheltered parts, by hedges, are a rich source of insects o n a warm day, even when the wind is strong. The brilliant green Tiger Beetle Cicindela campestris may be seen running and flying about the roads o n sunny days in June. This active species is a fierce hunter, with long legs and large, sharply pointed mandibles which can give a painful nip. This is one of the few beetles which so readily takes t o the wing that it is best caught by net. Another beetle t o be seen on the wing along the hedgerows is the large, metallic green Rose Chafer Cetonia aurata which can be mistaken for a bumble-bee when in flight. Bees and wasps are plentiful along the hedgerows and many species make their nests in crevices in the dry stone walls. The attractive little Ruby-tailed Wasp Chrysis ignita may be seen busily exploring sheltered stone walls in hot

168

OTHER INSECTS

sunshine, searching for the burrows of other insects in whose nests it lays its eggs. Bumble-bees are very common and the species recorded from Cape Clear include a number which form interesting associations with each other and with other orders of insects. The very large Red-tailed Hill Cuckoo-bee, Psithyrus rupestris lays its eggs in the nests of the Large Red-tailed Humble-bee Bombus lapidarius while the smaller Field Cuckoo-bee Psithyrus campestris is parasitic on the Common Carder-bee Bombus pascuorum and the Moss Carder-bee Bombus muscorum. Hover-flies (Family Syrphidae) are also plentiful in spring and summer, and one species, Volucella bombylans, can easily be mistaken for a bumble-bee, even when at rest. This fly has several different colour forms, each resembling a different species of bee. It lays its eggs in bees' nests, where the larvae are scavengers. Unfortunately, the shoreline remains unexplored entomologically. The insect fauna of this area is likely t o prove very limited but may produce some interesting species. One aspect of the insect fauna which could prove particularly interesting is the association of many species with birds and their nests. The only species so far recorded in this respect is a fly of the family Hippoboscidae, Ornithomya chloropus, taken from a Dunnock while it was being ringed. The insect fauna of birds' nests is diverse and fascinating, including fleas, moths and beetles. Until a more comprehensive study of the insect fauna of Cape Clear Island has been made, it would be pointless t o attempt comparisons with the fauna of the mainland. The exposed position of the island must have a significant limiting effect, although the mild, damp oceanic climate is favourable for many species. Several miles of dry stone walling provides shelter for a wide range of insects, while others with aquatic or subterranean habits are not normally subject to exposure. The flora of the island is relatively rich and provides shelter and food for many species, although the lack of trees may account for the scarcity of leaf-beetles of the family Chrysomelidae. All phytophagous species recorded from the island feed o n low-growing or aquatic plants. One of the problems when studying insects is that of identification. Very few species can be accurately identified without close examination and this makes coIlecting necessary. The only exception may be the butterflies, as many can be identified even while in flight. With this in mind, it is interesting to note that two-thirds of the resident fauna of Irish butterflies have been recorded from Cape Clear. With plenty of scope for specialists in other orders to make fresh discoveries, there is n o doubt that Cape Clear offers many opportunities t o the entomologist and ecologist, and that much interesting and rewarding work remains to be done. D. J. CARTER

OTHER INSECTS

169

BIBLIOGRAPHY CARTER, D. J. 1967. The Lepidoptera, Trichoptera and Odonata of Cape Clear Island. Cape Clear Bird Obs. Rep., 8: 45-46. CARTER, D. J . 1969. The Coleoptera of Cape Clear Island. Cape Clear Bird Obs. Rep., 10: 25-32. CARTER, D. J . In prep. Further insect records from Cape Clear Island. Cape Clear B ~ r d Obs. Rep. IMMS, A. D. 1947. Insect natural history. London. REES, C. J. and SUTTON, S. L. 1960. Entomological Survey, Cape Clear Island, 1960, Interim Report. Cape Clear Bird Obs. Rep., 2: 29-30.

Other animals

Most visitors t o the Observatory are primarily ornithologists and, apart from the birds (and t o a lesser degree the mammals, non-marine molluscs and insects), other groups of animals have so far received little attention. There is great scope for specialists, who will always be welcome t o use the Observatory as a base. This short chapter summarises some of the more interesting animals which have been casually noted. Jellyfish and related animals No detailed work has been carried out, though a number of species have been noted and two are of particular interest. Portuguese Man-of-war Physalia physalis, with its float in the form of a brilliant peacock-blue, purple or pink bladder (3-1 5 cm long) and retractile stinging tentacles sometimes several feet in length, has been noted on several occasions. A few were seen in September/October 1965, at least 200 were washed ashore at Ineermore, Ineerbeg and Foiladda on 15th- 16th October 1967 and then nearly 450 in October 1968 (Sharrock 1967b, 1968, 1969). In all cases they have occurred after strong southerly winds. The smaller (up to 6 cm) closely-related By-the-windsailor Velella spirans was washed ashore on Ineerbeg in uncountable numbers (thousands, if not tens of thousands) on 19th October 1968, at the same time as 234 examples of Physalia physalis (Sharrock 1969). Portuguese Man-of-war Flatworms A collection of freshwater triclads was made in 1965 (Sharrock 1967a). Polycelis nigra, a small black flatworm, was very numerous in Lough Errul but was not found elsewhere. The cream-coloured Phagocata vitta was rare in Lough Errul (outnumbered 100: 1 by P. nigra) but was also found in two of the island's streams. Leeches A collection of leeches was made in 1965, hut only two species were found (Sharrock 1967a). This is an under-studied group and it is, therefore, probably of little significance that the nine examples of Haemopis sanguisuga found in Lough Errul constituted only the fourth record of the species in Ireland. This is underlined by the fact that Glossiphonia complanata is the most widespread leech in Ireland, yet the stream running through the Secret Valley, where seven examples were found, was only the eighteenth Irish locality for the species.

Hkher plants Island floras are influenced by three main factors: climate, isolation and t h e diversity of habitats. Cape Clear Island has an extremely oceanic situation, as is indicated by the frequency with which cetaceans and oceanic birds are recorded. In common with most other low-lying oceanic areas in Britain and Ireland, Cape Clear is very windy (mostly westerlies) and has mild, mostly frost-free, winters and rather cool summers. The rainfall is considerable, but is less than a third of that found in some mountainous areas not far inland. This extreme 'Atlantic' type of windy climate is of great significance when considering the flora of the island. Since Sherkin Island lies in between, Cape Clear Island is separated from the mainland of Co. Cork by only 1% miles of open water. It is, therefore, sufficiently close t o the mainland for it t o be unlikely that isolation has had much effect on the composition of the flora. The variety of habitats t o be found on the island, however, has doubtless allowed the indigenous flora t o achieve the comparative richness that we find. The wetlands are extensive and comprise several different types. There is a stony lough, with aquatics; a series of bogs in Ballyieragh, some of which are poor fens; and other extensive peaty areas, some of which are almost blanket-bog. These are often of most interest when dissected by small streams, since streamside flushes are among the richest habitats o n the island. Much of the island is composed of a poor tussocky grassland, with extensive areas of Gorse Ulex europaeus. In parts of Ballyieragh in particular, this is superseded by heath, with Dwarf Furze Ulex gallii, Heather Calluna vulgaris and Bell Heather Erica cinerea. These areas are chiefly on shallow soil overlying rock. A different type of grassland is found in areas of extreme maritime influence, such as o n the cliffs, some hedge-banks and exposed areas within 300 yards of the sea. This is a dwarf, close turf, often containing cushion-forming species such as Thrift Armeria maritima. Gardens (especially abandoned ones), cultivation plots, hedge-banks and walls are important man-made habitats o n the Cape. The island is largely lacking in trees, and may have no indigenous species of tree o r large shrub (doubtless a result of salt and wind), though some have been planted in the most sheltered parts, such as Trawkieran and around Ineer. Many hedges are composed of exotic species, such as Fuchsia magellanica, Escallonia macrantha and Tamarix anglica, and the subtropical illusion gained from these species, which are rampantly naturalised, is one of the most striking features of Cape Clear Island. T h e island's Old Red Sandstone weathers slowly t o give acid soils which are rather poor in most nutrients. Many plants which require a high nutrient level are of a weedy type and are confined o n the Cape t o gardens and farmyards, while plants which need base-rich soils are mostly absent. Nevertheless, the varied topography, the interesting series of wetlands, the cliffs, t h e considerable extent of human habitation (both past and present) and the degree t o which relatively unsophisticated arable farming still proceeds, combine t o form an impressive series of habitats which are, at least by Irish standards, fairly speciesrich.

Mosses and liverworts The mosses and liverworts, or Bryophyta, comprise a major division of the plant kingdom. The small size of many species necessitates microscopic examination for their accurate determination, although with experience most can be named correctly in the field. A very useful introductory flora for the study of British and Irish mosses and liverworts is provided by Watson (1968), who gives details of identification, collection and storage of bryophytes and a short guide to more advanced works. Approximately 100 species have been recorded on Cape Clear Island (Wright 1965; Bates 1972, In prep.) out of a total of about 900 species occurring in Britain and Ireland. Many bryophytes are moisture-loving plants requiring humid, shaded habitats and the rather meagre flora of Cape Clear doubtless reflects a shortage of suitable habitats as a result of the exposed nature of the island, absence of trees and lack of topographic variety. In this respect, Cape Clear shows similarities to islands off the British coast such as Lundy and Skokholm (see Gillham 1954). Nevertheless, the island receives sufficient precipitation (measurable rain falls on 160 to 180 days each year) and has a sufficiently high mean winter temperature t o allow the occurrence of some interesting species which are confined in Britain and Ireland to the west or south-west. Notable western or 'Atlantic' species occurring on Cape Clear are Plagiochila spinulosa, Saccogyna viticulosa, Porella thuja and Frullania germana among the liverworts and a number of less-markedly western mosses such as Funaria obtusa, Hookeria lucens and Ptychomitrium polyphyllum (see Ratcliffe, 1968). The species occurring on rocks or soil-filled rock crevices comprise an important element of the island's bryophyte flora. The communities occurring in these habitats are controlled by a number of factors, of which humidity and exposure t o salt spray are undoubtedly the most important. During winter gales, especially those from the southern and western quarters, clouds of salt spray are formed from breaking waves and blow across much of the island. The few species of moss able to tolerate salt spray feature among the commonest species of Cape Clear. The table opposite illustrates the zonation of some of the island's common bryophytes in relation to salt spray deposition. In sheltered parts of the island this zonation is compressed into the space of a few feet on the vertical scale, whereas on the exposed shores of Ballyieragh the 'upper-shore' species predominate at a height of 200 to 300 feet above sea-level and extend a considerable distance inland. Grimmia maritima and Tortella flavovirens are the most salt-tolerant (halophytic) British mosses and occur nearer to the sea than other bryophytes, but on the most exposed shores the lowest occurrence of even these species is often high up on the cliff tops. The very exposed Blananarragaun is practically devoid of bryophytes and it is likely that the extreme physical action of wind and waves during gales is responsible for this. The excrement of birds is toxic to many species and in some areas, such as Ardatruha Point, the virtual absence of bryophytes may be attributed t o the roosting of large numbers of seabirds, as well as to extreme exposure to salt spray.

Lichens Small maritime islands often have only a limited variety of habitats available for colonisation by lichens. Their exposed nature limits tree growth either completely or very severely and the rock is often very uniform. On Cape Clear Island there are no trees suitable for colonisation by lichens and the rock consists entirely of a rather coarse indurated sandstone. The natural rock outcrops are well supplemented, however, by dry stone walls bordering all the small fields and roads. These provide a n interesting contrast in lichen communities where the two sides of a wall face north and south. Although the lichen population of t h e island as a whole reflects the influence of the sea there is a further contrast between lichen communities on the rocky shores and those on more inland rocks and walls. The soil provides the only other surface for lichen colonisation but on Cape Clear Island the vegetation is generally too dense for the development of terricolous lichens and those present are restricted to a few small areas o n soil amongst low flat-topped rocks at higher altitudes. The lichen flora of the dry stone walls is perhaps the simplest to deal with. On well-lit faces some or all of the following five species are abundant and form a white and grey mosaic covering most of the stone. Lecanora rupicola is a pure white species; Pertusaria microsricrica is a creamier white; Lecanora gangaleoides and Ochrolechia parella are both pale greyish-white, the former with grey-margined black fruits and the latter with pale ones similar t o the thallus. Finally Lecidea tumida is a distinct blue-grey colour. These and most of the other 25 species recorded on walls are of the crustose type adhering closely t o the rock surface. Of the few species with a more 'leafy' morphology, three are common and easily identifiable. Two form extensive leafy patches on the stone Parrnelia perlata being grey and Parrnelia glabratula a dark shiny brown. Rarnalina, of which three species occur, forms green tufts which stand erect from the rock surface. One interesting species resembling the Parmelias, Sricta sylvatica, is found on a wall near the Observatory. I t has a distinct, fishy smell and is more usually found in damp woodlands. These light-loving species are either absent or are poorly developed in shaded recesses in stone walls. Their place is taken mainly by species of Opegrapha, of which 0. gyrocarpa with a characteristic orange- o r pinky-brown colour is the most obvious. The fruits of this genus are small, elongated, black, worm-like structures called lirellae. More than fifty species, including most of those found o n dry stone walls, were recorded on natural rock outcrops away from the coast. The lichen flora on these rocks is more complex than that o n the walls and includes several species absent or only rarely recorded in the latter habitat. Lecidea species are more common and include L. cyarhoides, which is brown and has distinctive black fruits with brown flexuose margins. Also frequent is the bright yellow-green Rhizocarpon geographicum, a common and well-known lichen of the mountainous regions of western Britain and Ireland. There are also other Parmelia species, including P. saxatilis, which resembles P. perlata but has a network of white lines over its surface, and P. caperata which is pea-green. Anaptychia fusca is -

Seaweeds The shores of Cape Clear Island are for the most part inaccessible due t o sheer cliffs but in a few places it is possible, with some difficulty, t o descend t o the bottom. The shores are very exposed and strong waves beat on the rocks and large boulders. Larninaria digitata, a tree-like seaweed, several feet high, is abundant o n these shores and large quantities are cast up as drift-weed. The stipes (or stems) are often covered in an interesting variety of other red algae and among these the very rare seaweed Pterosiphonia complanata has been found. Two other large algae common i n exposed areas are Alaria esculenta and Himanthalia elongata. The former is about two feet long and recognisable by a group of wing-like parts near t h e base while Hirnanthalia (Sea-thongs) can be recognised by its rounded button-like base with one t o four whip-like parts (up t o five feet in length) growing out of this. Nemalion helrninthoides, a small worm-like alga, grows o n the tops of boulders o n these exposed shores. Porphyra urnbilicalis forms small blackish cabbage-like growths o n the exposed rocks where little else can survive. This plant is eaten in parts of Ireland and is cultivated o n a large scale as a food in Japan. Another far less common species, Porphyra linearis, grows as long narrow ribbon-like strips, conspicuous due t o their red colour, and can be found o n the sloping rocks in narrow creeks near the Observatory. Where the grassy slopes grow down o n t o the tops of t h e rocks i n the spray zone of the upper shore, a few inconspicuous but interesting seaweeds occur. Vaucheria consists of fine interweaving threads or filaments and forms green velvet-like patches among the grasses. A red seaweed Bostrychia scorpioides also grows among the grasses but is camouflaged very well among t h e browncoloured roots of the grass. Rivularia forms very small black spherical jelly-like masses o n rocks and on soil high up in t h e spray zone. By far the best collecting places o n the island are the sheltered parts of Trawkieran and Ineer. O n these shores are found the usual common brown seaweeds - Pelvetia canaliculata (Channelled Wrack) high up o n the rocks, Fucus vesiculosus (Bladder Wrack) on the boulder; and rocks in the mid-shore and recognised by its paired air bladders, Fucus serratus (Toothed Wrack) low down o n the shore and Ascophyllum nodosum (Jelly Wrack) i n the midshore, recognisable by its single large air bladders and jelly-filled reproductive parts. The age of each Ascophyllum plant can easily be determined since it produces one air bladder each year. Seaweeds are, even t o this day, gathered o n Cape Clear Island and used as fertilizers and soil-conditioners. T h e species involved are probably a mixture of Fucus vesiculosus and Ascophyllurn nodosurn. There is usually another seaweed growing in fur-like masses o n t h e Ascophyllurn - Polysiphonia lanosa. The name Polysiphonia arises from the fact that when viewed under the microscope this plant is seen t o consist of numerous tubes o r siphons. The vertical sides of piers and boat-slips or the sides of steep rocks are the best places to observe the zonation of the different weeds. Here, i n particular, the brown seaweeds (the wracks mentioned previously) all have a definite vertical

History of the Observatory In the late 1950's there were bird observatories active at three of the four corners of Ireland - Tory Island in the north-west, Copeland in the north-east and Saltee in the south-east. Major R. F. Ruttledge and others had long appreciated the need for an observatory somewhere in the south-west. Cape Clear Bird Observatory was conceived one stormy day on Great Saltee. Too wet and windy for bird-watching, Major Ruttledge and Kenneth Williamson, then the B.T.O.'s Migration Research Officer, pored over a map of Ireland and picked on Cape Clear Island as a likely spot. After spending four autumns in south-eastern England, I felt the draw of the west. As a young research student attending the Bird Observatories' Conference in Oxford in January 1959, I approached Ken Williamson and asked his advice; needless to say, it was 'Go t o Cape Clear'. That same winter, four pupils from Leighton Park School, Reading (Lin Cornwallis, Brian Dickinson, Humphrey Dobinson and Mike Seddon) were also planning a trip to western Ireland the next autumn. They intended to visit Slyne Head, Co. Galway and wrote to Ken Williamson for advice; needless t o say, it was 'Divert to Cape Clear'! Thus it was that the five founders of the Observatory came together. Typically, Humphrey soon got things well organised. The B.T.O. supported the expedition with a grant and supplied ringing equipment and a collection of bird skins on loan. Contact was made with Johnny Burke of Cummer and Paddy Leonard of the Post Office on the island and the large house at Ineermore was rented for the autumn - at five shillings a week!

0bservatory personalities Cape Clear Bird Observatory has h a d n o professional staff a n d all t h e w o r k h a s been d o n e b y a m a t e u r s i n their spare time. This section gives brief biographies o f ornithologists w h o have served o n the Council of t h e Observatory, t o g e t h e r w i t h t h o s e o f t h e five observers w h o s t a y e d at t h e Observatory f o r the longest t i m e during 1959-69. Paul Georges Raoul BARBIER, B.A. (Paul) Days on Cape 236. b. 1908. Educated at Giggleswick School and Queen's College, Oxford, reading Classics, Ancient History, French and Philosophy. Formerly school-teacher, now retired. Single. Particularly interested in identifying European passerines by call and song. Favourite birds: woodpeckers, tits and Chough. Other interests: field botany, chess and cooking (up to the level of boiled eggs and tea). Geoffrey Nicholas BROMFIELD B.Sc. (Geoff) Days on Cape 113. b. 1946. Educated at King Henry VIII Grammar School, Coventry and Bristol University, reading Zoology, Botany, Geology and Philosophy. School-teacher. Married with one daughter. Main ornithological interest: sea-watching from Burke's bar. Favourite bird: Blackthroated Green Warbler. Other interests: botany (especially algae), geology, football, cricket and opera. Lindon CORNWALLIS B.A. (Lin) Founder; Council 1959-7 1; Ringing Secretary 1961-63; days on Cape 91. b. 1942. Educated at Leighton Park School and Keele University, reading Biology and Geography. Research Student. Single. Member of B.T.O. and B.O.U. Ornithological interest: ecological isolation in wheatears. Favourite bird: Podoces pleskei, a 'ground-jay' found only in the central deserts of Persia. Other interests: photography and Land-Rover mechanics. Clifford Edward DAVIES B.Sc. (Cliff) Days on Cape 85. b. 1946. Educated at Manchester Grammar School and Liverpool University, reading Zoology and Genetics. Research Student. Married. Member of B.T.O. and B.O.U. Particularly interested in behaviour and migration. Favourite birds: shearwaters. Other interests: archaeology. Brian H. B. DICKlNSON B.A. (Brian) Founder; Council 1959-63; Treasurer 1960-63; days on Cape 150. b. 1940. Educated at Leighton Park School and New College, Oxford, reading Mathematics, Classics and Philosophy. Civil Servant. Single. Main interest in ornithology: population changes, aesthetic pleasure and anthropomorphism. Favourite bird: Greenfinch. Other interests: idleness and reading.

Quotable quotes Regular Observatory visitor: 'This is a place I just can't Cape Clear of'. Sea-watcher: 'The gulls were just mucking about offshore, chasing ships'. Blasi? ticker: 'Don't bother t o come, it's only a Yellow-browed Warbler'. Field-description from expert ornithologist: 'It didn't have a rump'. Another expert ornithologist: 'You can see the eye-stripe without looking'. Enthusiastic observer: 'Today's the best day we've had, since yesterday, for a long time'. Prof Meiklejohn (to islander): 'It's a cold day'. Old lady (to Prof Meiklejohn): 'And you're a fine fat man, God bless ye!' Day-trippers pointing to Observatory: 'I suppose that's the hotel' More day-trippers: 'Where do you keep the birds?'

C.I.E. booking clerk to potential visitor: 'Cape Clear! But, Madam, are you sure that you want to go there?'

Burke's bar at Cummer: a favourite habitat for ornithologists. Bryant Rose taking mid-fieldwork refreshment supplied by the late Johnny Burke. (Photo: Robert GiNmor)