88 DUBLIN NATTJKAL HISTOBT SOCIETY. 



1 have not seen the specimen of Bonaparte's gull in the Belfast Museum, but this 

 much, I hope to make the present specimen of Ridibundus coincide in every par- 

 ticular with the description taken by the late lamented Mr. Thompson. 



[Mr. Watters then read the description given by Mr. Thompson, in " The 

 Birds of Ireland," of Larus Bonapartii, and which agreed in all its markings, 

 proportions, and distinctions (which have so fully been given by that author), 

 with the specimens of Larus ridibundus submitted by Mr. Watters, and which 

 he had verified to be a bird obtained from among that species of gull on this 

 coast, and with which species, with the exception of its smaller proportions, it 

 was identical in every respect. Mr. Watters also compared his bird with the 

 accurate drawing made by Mr. Du Noyer, of the bird shot by Captain Watkins, 

 and read from the report of the last Proceedings, the distinctive characters, 

 the details of which appeared to agree with those of Mr. Watters' specimen.] 



Respecting Larus capistratus, I believe that there is no adult black- 

 headed gull but, before attaining the complete hood, was a perfect specimen of 

 capistratus. Were it not that on many occasions I have examined those birds 

 in their seasonal changes, I would feel much more diffident in advancing my 

 views ; but, as it is, I believe you will be inclined to admit the great probability 

 of the Larus Bonapartii described by Thompson agreeing in every particular 

 with a variety of Ridibundus, and the late specimen exhibited at your last meet- 

 ing, and shot by Captain Watkins, to have been nothing more than a variety of 

 the same species. If a further proof were required, I place before you the eggs 

 of the Larus ridibundus and argentatus, when you will in both instances perceive 

 the disparity in size of the same species, and, as we might reasonably suppose, 

 the birds produced fronr the small eggs would not have equalled in size those 

 produced from the larger. 



Mr. Andrews observed that, when he expressed his views at the last meeting, 

 he was not at tbe time aware that any discussion on the subject had taken place. 

 He saw no reason, however, to change the opinions he had given. The markings 

 and size of Mr. Watters' specimen were identical with the one shot by Captain 

 Watkins ; and one character, in particular, was identical — the size of the tarsus. 

 Other characters were still more striking in Mr. Watters' bird — the more slen- 

 der or tern-like form of the bill, and the wings being of greater length, extend- 

 ing beyond the tail an inch more than the wings in Captain Watkins' specimen. 



MAY, 1852. 



A FEW OBSERVATIONS ON THE PRESENT STATE OF ORNITHOLOGICAL INFORMA- 

 TION IN IRELAND, AND ON THE INTEREST AND VALUE OF PRACTICAL INVES- 

 TIGATION. BY B. J. MONTGOMERY, A. M. 



Although some of the remarks 1 intend offering to the Society have already 

 appeared, by means of the information supplied by me to Mr. Thompson, and 

 published in his excellent and valuable work, " The Natural History of Ireland," 

 yet I think it not improbable that to many at least of my audience they may prove 

 interesting, being entirely the result of personal observation, carried on through 

 a series of years. Ireland has always appeared to me to possess many features 

 of great interest in an ornithological point of view. Her various chains of lofty 

 mountains, both in the neighbourhood of the sea and elsewhere ; her immense 

 inland waters of loughs, with their countless islets ; her numerous and wide- 

 spreading bogs and morasses ; the many small islands on her coasts (particu- 

 larly the western) ; the bold cliffs and headlands, which battle so unceasingly 

 with the ocean; and the number of bays, estuaries, and indentations, give never- 

 ending variety to this country, highly favourable to ornithological research. 

 The geographical position of Ireland will also be found to have its due effect in 

 regulating the number of species generally, both resident and migratory ; but 

 this portion of the subject I shall pass over, having but little to add to what has 



