22 PKOCEEDlNGS OF SOCIETIES. 



Mr. Hogan exhibited the following Coleoptera, which had been taken near Dublin, 

 since he read his list : Bembidium flavipes and Xantholinus tricolor, by Mr. 

 Haliday ; Elaphrus riparius, Stomis pumicatus, Patrobus rufipes, Dytiscus punctu- 

 latus, and Olophrum piceum, by Dr. Kinahan ; and Leistus fulvibarbis, Geotrupes 

 vernal is, and Sitlpingus planirostris, by himself. 



Dr. Kinahan then read the first part of a 



LOCAL LIST OF BIRDS FOUND IN THE COUNTY DUBLIN. 



This list does not pretend to include all the birds that have been found in the 

 County Dublin, but merely those species which have fallen under my own obser- 

 vation. The great majority of them are natives of Donnybrook. The nomen- 

 clature adopted is that of Mr. Thompson's work. I have, in a few instances, made 

 observations in reference to habits which I found either contradictory or expla- 

 natory of the statement in this work. 



RAPTORES. 



Falco sesalon. Occasionally all the year round. In the winter it may be seen 

 chasing the larks ; I have also, on two occasions, witnessed these birds 

 chasing dunlins once off Clontarf Island, in 1848, and also at the 

 Pigeonhouse ; I have seen either this or the next chasing the common 

 godwit (Limosa rufa). Breeds at Howth. 



tinnunculus. Common. Breeds in Mount-merrion demesne. This bird 

 preys extensively on birds as well as mice. I have witnessed several in- 

 stances of its daring and pertinacity. In the year 1849, near Crumlin, 

 I saw it chase a skylark. The poor lark doubled and doubled, the hawk 

 closely following, and keeping abov^e it, and every now and then striking 

 at it with outstretched talons ; but the lark was too quick for the hawk, 

 and always dropped, as if shot, whenever the hawk struck. At last the 

 lark took refuge under the flank of a cow, which was lying down near, 

 and the hawk, after soaring round and round for some minutes, flew away. 

 I then, with great difficulty, succeeded in rousing the lark from its strange 

 refuge. The whole time the birds were never more than ten yards above 

 my head, and often not five Another time, in Tipperary, when out 

 shooting, with a companion, we came across some golden plover. Out 

 of these my comrade succeeded in bringing down a brace one of which 

 fell at his feet, the other at some distance. While my comrade was re- 

 loading, I went to pick up the bird which had fallen at some distance, 

 when a kestrel, sweeping past me, stooped and clutched the bird which 

 was lying at my comrade's feet, with which he succeeded in getting off. 

 This was in September, 1849. I might mention many other instances of 

 the same kind. This bird also chases the dunlins on the strand. 

 Accipiter nisus. Our commonest hawk. A pair may be constantly seen about 

 Merrion-square, and the south side of the city ; it is equally daring with itf 

 congeners j ust mentioned. 

 Buteo vulgaris. A fine specimen killed in Killiney last year ; now in the Royal 



Dublin Society's Museum. 



Circus cyaneus. About Donnybrook. A winter visitant only, and then but oc- 

 casionally ; it preys on the larks, which flock at that season, and I have seen 

 it capture them on the wing in the Bishop's Field. I have, at Rathgar, seen it 

 dash at, and clutch a redwing out of a thick thorn hedge. It does not confine 

 itself to such small game always, as I find a note of one carrying off a wounded 

 grouse from me, when shooting in the county Tipperary, in 1848 ; this feature 

 in its history has been alluded to by Thompson. I have seen the bird constantly 

 on the Three-rock Mountain and the ridges in its neighbourhood. 

 Otus vulgaris. I have seen specimens from Clondalkin and Stillorgan. 

 Strix flammea. Common.* 



Other raptorial birds are found in the county Dublin, but these are all I have 

 met myself. 



Strix nyctea. Tt may be of interest to mention, that on the 28th December, 1853, I saw a pair 

 of these birds at Annagh Inch, county Tipperary. 



