Yesterday we saw an animal on the seaweed beside a rock at Valentia Island, Co Kerry. At first we thought it was a mink but then realised that it was too ig. Then we thought it might be a seal, but it had legs and a long tail. We thought it too big to be an otter. It had a dark hairy coat, a large head with big whiskers and tan fur down the front of its neck. It was about one and a half metres long. Our final thought was that it looked like a beaver, but surely we don't have beavers in this country?
Jane Caldwell, Baily, Co Dublin.
You're right, we don't - unfortunately. What you saw was undoubtedly a male otter, which can grow to 90 cm.
I live close to Howes Strand on the Cork coast and have in the past found large mermaid's purses at the tideline - about six inches long and much larger than the purses we usually find. Do large common skate lay the same size eggs as smaller skate? I can remember Spanish trawlers bringing huge skate into Castletown Bere - alas, no more.
John Petch, Kilbrittain, Co Cork.
The six-inch egg cases (excluding the horny points at the corners) are those of the common skate, now fished almost to extinction on many coasts, and do not vary much with size of fish. The cases of thornback and other rays, which also have points, are two or three inches long, and the cases with long tendrils at the corners are those of lesser spotted dogfish (about two inches) and the greater spotted dogfish (about four inches).
I couldn't help but agree with your comment about apple imports to Ireland (November 4th), following an experience I had when visiting New Zealand in 1997. As we passed through a major fruit growing area our guide commented that Ireland was the largest per capita consumer of New Zealand apples in the world. Up here in the North we grow very good Armagh Bramleys but little or no effort is made to promote them.
Frank McGreevey, Ballymena, Co Antrim.
Edited by Michael Viney, who welcomes observations sent to him at Thallabawn, Carrowniskey PO, Westport, Co Mayo.
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