DUBLIN NATURAL HI8T0BT SOCIETY. 89 



been already so clearly and fully laid down by Mr. Thompson in the preface to 

 his first volume, and in the authorities to which ho there refers. But I think I 

 may make a few remarks on the great power which the winds exercise in direct- 

 ing and influencing the flight of birds, especially such as are actually performing 

 their spring or autumn migrations. It has often caused me much surprise that 

 rare species of birds are not more frequently met with in this country, especially 

 American birds, during the frequently long-continued prevalence of westerly 

 winds. The ocean presents no barrier to their flight, as is evident to every one 

 from the fact of our smallest summer visitants winging their way over the Medi- 

 terranean sea, both in their northern and southern migration; and from most of 

 our winter migrants crossing the Gorman ocean in autumn and spring, as also 

 the well-authenticated instances of different American species having been 

 killed in various parts of Ireland. You must all have observed that if it blows a 

 good stiff breeze from the eastward in the month of October, ducks of all sorts 

 are much more plentiful than in a season when westerly winds prevail about that 

 time. I have myself twice shot the gadwall (C. strepera), and on each occasion 

 the wind had been east for some days previously. This duck was so rare in 

 England in Montague's time that that distinguished ornithologist never suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining a recent specimen. I have, however, some reason for think- 

 ing that it is by no means unfrequent in Ireland in the spring of the year. In 

 spring and the early part of the summer, if south-eastern winds prevail, it is as- 

 tounding with what exactness and punctuality the summer visitors make their 

 appearance. Five times during eight years I witnessed the arrival of the wheat- 

 ear (Saxicola oenanthe) on the shores of Dublin Bay ; once on the 17th, and four 

 times on the 19th of March. On each of these five occasions the wind was south- 

 east, and at the same period of the three other years it was from the west, and 

 the consequence was, no wheat-ear made its appearance before the first week of 

 April. In autumn 1 have often remarked the wheat-ear (S. oenanthe), the whin- 

 chat (S. rubetra), the spotted flv-catcher (Musicapa grisola), the willow wren, 

 or willow warbler (Sylvia trochilus), the chiff chaff (Sylvia rufa), collecting in 

 considerable numbers, and gradually drawing down to the neighbourhood of the 

 sea, and remain there for days waiting for a favourable breeze. I have seen the 

 pied wagtail (Motacilla Yarrellii) collect in a field next the shore, actually in 

 hundreds, towards the close of an autumn evening. Before morning a gentle 

 west wind blew, and by clear daylight every wagtail had separated. It was just 

 after a violent gale of wind from the east I procured the specimen of the Kentish 

 plover (Charadrius cantianus) now before you. Mr. Thompson states that 

 three of these birds were killed in Belfast Bay, but not preserved. I therefore 

 looked on my own as the only Irish specimen, but I believe Dr. Ball has lately 

 procured one for the University Museum, killed at Baldoyle, county of Dublin. 

 Under similar circumstances, with regard to the state of the weather, the 

 example of the night heron (Ardea nycticorax), which I had the pleasure of 

 exhibiting to your Society in June, 1848, was obtained. 



One fact, which appears to me as strange, is the very healthy condition in 

 which several species of birds were which 1 have killed in this country in the 

 rery depth of winter, and which are merely summer birds in England. I allude 

 to the blackcap warbler (Curruca atricapilla), of which species I shot two in 

 December, 1843 (see volume i., Thompson), both females. This bird has been 

 known to winter in England but very rarely ; but Mr. Thompson has noticed it as 

 wintering in Ireland, from time to time, in various localities, from north to south. 

 I shot these two specimens of the whitethroat (Curruca cinerea) — one, an old 

 male — when there was snow upon the ground, about the same time as the black- 

 caps ; the second, a young male, last January. The reed warbler (Salicaria 

 arundinacea) I shot also in the winter of 1843. The only mention of it as an 

 Irish bird is in Thompson's volume, as seen by Mr. Templeton, and shot by me. 

 The redstart (Phoenicura ruticilla) was killed in the month of February, 1847 ; 

 only six examples known to have been killed in Ireland. Of the three last-men- 

 tioned species I believe there is no record of their ever haring wintered in Eng- 



