24 Mr. Thompson on the Birds of Ireland, 



occurrence in pleasure-grounds and gardens (these it frequents 

 in the town of Belfast) the name of " willow wren" may be 

 thought a unmeaning/' (vide note to White's Selborne, p. 84, 

 ed. 183 7 J I cannot so consider it. This name was doubtless 

 bestowed upon the bird originally on account of its partiality 

 to willows. This 1 have particularly remarked, on which oc 

 casions the twigs and branches of the common osier, Sail 

 viminalis, abounding with aphides, were its chief favourite 

 Never have I seen these birds so numerous anywhere, — am 

 I include several continental countries, in addition to the 

 British Islands, — as they were annually in a certain hedge 

 row of these trees in the neighbourhood of Belfast. On somi 

 scattered trees of the Salia? Smithiana, in the same locality 

 they were for a similar reason almost equally plentiful. 



A young willow wren that was caught at the " Falls" 

 last summer soon after it had left the nest, became at once, 

 from its familiarity, very attractive. When at liberty in a 

 room, and called by the name of " Sylvia" it immediately 

 flew to and alighted on a finger held out for the purpose. 

 So partial was it to this unnatural perch, that, like a hooded 

 hawk upon the " fist, " it there remained stationary when 

 carried out of doors to feed upon the aphides infesting some 

 monthly roses near the house, and when so engaged it flew 

 not to the plant, but rested by choice upon the finger. To 

 the exceeding grief of its owners it soon died, in consequence 

 of too frequent washing. 



In my possession is a specimen of the S. Trochilus, which 

 flew on board a ship in 1834, to the north-west of the Azores, in 

 latitude 44° N. and longitude 34° W. ; the date, unfortunately, 

 was not communicated. 



The Chiff-Chaff, Sylvia Hippolais, Lath., — Is a regular 

 visitant to certain localities in the north of Ireland, and also, 

 as I am informed by Robert Ball, Esq., to the vicinity of 

 Dublin. In the first week of April its notes are generally 

 heard about Belfast ; but in the spring of 1837 they did not at- 

 tract attention until some time after this period. In the middle 

 of May I have been for the greater part of a day in Colin Glen, 

 the great resort of the species in this neighbourhood, without 



