1903. 4 1 



BREEDING OF THE RED-NECKED PHAI.AROPE 



IN IRELAND. 



BY EDWARD WIIylylAMS. 



[Pirate i.] 



The Red-necked Phalarope {Phalaropus hyperboreus) was 

 unknown as an Irish bird till the year 1891, when, during the 

 month of November, a great gale occurred and a quantity of 

 Forktailed Petrels and Common Phalaropes were blown 

 inland. Among the specimens I received were a Wilson's 

 Petrel and a Red-necked Phalarope, both new to Ireland. The 

 Phalarope was in full winter plumage, and was shot by Mr. J. 

 A. Haire at lyoughgilly, Co. Armagh. This specimen is now 

 in the National Museum. 



Nothing more was heard of this species till May, 1902, 

 when I received a beautiful specimen in full summer plumage 

 from Mr. J. A. Sheridan ; the exact locality where he obtained 

 the bird I have been unable to ascertain. It had a curiously 

 malformed beak, turned up at the end like a miniature Avocet, 

 and it showed in a very marked degree the beautiful bay 

 colour on the neck, from which the bird derives its name. 



Before giving an account of the discovery of this bird as a 

 breeding species in Ireland, I may say that, seeing the sad 

 havoc that has occurred to the species in the Orkneys and 

 Shetland by ^'g^ collectors and others, I have resolved, in 

 consultation with a few leading Irish ornithologists, not to 

 divulge the exact locality of the breeding ground, but to say 

 in a general way " the West of Ireland." I am also glad to 

 say that the gentleman on whose property this very inter- 

 esting discovery has been made shows every disposition to 

 have the birds rigidly protected. 



Early in the month of July last this gentleman sent me the 

 skin of a Phalarope which had been rather roughly handled, 

 but thinking that he had been on a yachting cruise round 

 Scotland, and had probably obtained a specimen, it did not 

 interest me much. In acknowledging the receipt I just said, 

 '*0f course the bird is not Irish." Judge of my surprise when 



A 4 



