76 DUBLIN NATITEAL HISTOEY SOCIETY. 



climate, of geological features, of peculiarity of seasons, or of the greater ex- 

 tent of geographical range or distribution of animals or plants, has always been 

 an object of interest. In this country we have the prevalence of a mild tempera- 

 ture proved by the finding of plants of Spain and Portugal on our western coast, 

 which do not exist in other parts of Britain. The rare Trichomanes, peculiar 

 to the warm and moist temperature of the tropics, and the beautiful Sticta mi- 

 crophylla, a native of the Isle of France and of South America, spreads over rocks 

 and the trunks of trees in Kerry, Our western shores also produce many beau- 

 tiful corallines, moUusca, and Crustacea, peculiar to the Mediterranean ; and I 

 am informed by Professor Melville, of Gal way, that he recently met in the lime- 

 stone of Clare, almost, as he expresses, acres of Gastrochoena pholadia, of which 

 previously a perfect specimen was considered a gem in the cabinet of the collec- 

 tor. In the ornithology of the country, notwithstanding the zealous inquiries of 

 our enthusiastic naturalists and collectors to complete the information regard- 

 ing the birds of Ireland, we are still advancing our records beyond the unique 

 collections of Messrs. Warren, Montgomery, and Waters, and of Dr. Farran, of 

 this city, and of those of our provincial friends, by the notice each year of the 

 occurrences of visitants, natives of the climes of Africa, of Northern Europe, and 

 of America. In May last was noticed the capture of the dusky shearwater 

 (Puffinus obscurus), off the island of Valentia. This exceedingly rare addition 

 to the ornithology of Britain frequents the shores of Africa to the Cape of Good 

 Hope, and is stated to be identical with Mr. Gould's Puffinus assimilis of Nor- 

 folk Island and the eastern shores of Australia. No doubt it may have hitherto 

 passed unnoticed in the south-western shores of this country, as it may readily 

 be confounded with the Manx shearwater (Puffinus anglorum), which it resem- 

 bles, and which breeds on the Skellig Islands. In August last I saw a recent 

 specimen with my friend Mr. Chute, of Chute Hall, Tralee, of the great shear- 

 water — Puffinus major, Faber(P. cinereus, Steph.). It was in immature plumage, 

 and appeared to be identical with the description of Puffinus fuliginosa of Strick- 

 land. This bird was obtained off the coast of Kerry, and, like the obscurus, has 

 a similar extent of geographical range. It is nearly allied to the great grey pe- 

 trel (Procellaria hsesitata), of the seas of Australia. Most of these species frequent 

 and breed on the Dezertas, a group of small islands six leagues from Madeira, 

 and it is, therefore, not improbable that during the prevalence of south- westerly 

 gales several species may visit the south-west coast of this country. I am ip- 

 formed by a very intelligent observer, Mrs. Blackburn, of Valentia, that the 

 Manx petrel (P. anglorum), breeds on that island, and that she had obtained a 

 specimen of the bird and its egg, taken in the middle of May. This same ob- 

 server, to whom the discovery of the Dusky petrel is duo, mentions to me that 

 it flew on board a sloop on the night of the 1 1th of May last, as the vessel was en- 

 tering the harbour of Valentia. The bird appeared quite strong, but very quiet, 

 and not at all shy. I shall now turn* to the subject of the present notice. This 

 handsome species of duck was shot in the month of February last on the east side 

 of Inch Island, Dingle Bay, in Castlemaine harbour, by a person who was in the 

 habit of looking for water-fowl. There had previously been several gales from 

 the south-west, and he had noticed some birds which he considered were teal, or 

 small brown widgeon. A flock of six birds were feeding in a creek, and, firing 

 among them, the present one was the only one shot. He preserved the bird for 

 Mr. Ross Townsend, the chief officer of the coast-guard, stationed at Croraane, 

 Castlemaine harbour, who is well experienced, and has long been familiar with 

 the varieties of water fowl visiting that coast. Mr. Townsend at once saw that it 

 was a species perfectly new to him, and he very kindly forwarded it to me in 

 June last. After a most careful examination, I could not identify it with any of 

 the described birds of Europe or of America, but, fortunately, having had the 

 opportunity of visiting the British Museum in August, I readily recognised it as 

 the membranaceous duck, Malacorynchus membranaceus, of South Australia. 

 Two specimens are labelled as having been sent home, and presented by his Ex- 

 cellency Captain G. Grey, from South Australia, and are by no means a common 



