72 PROCEEDINGS OJ SOCIETIES. 



meetings, and hoped that this paper was only the forerunner of many 

 more, as interesting, from the same locality. 



From his own experience of Ardmore, during 1852 and 1853, he had 

 little doubt that this insect, in common with many others rare else- 

 where, was to be met with during most years. "When in that neigh- 

 bourhood, in 1852, in company with a friend, the result of some of whose 

 labours in natural history he himself had had the honour to record in the 

 " Transactions" of the Society, but who was now, alas ! no more — 

 Edward Henry Sargint, Esq., he had met this butterfly in a narrow, 

 sandy field, at Whiting Bay, next the sea. Mr. Sargint, who had col- 

 lected the insect on the Continent, and was a keen lepidopterist, at once 

 pointed it out as a rarity. Three or four specimens were seen on that 

 occasion, but none were obtained, through want of a proper net. 



On a subsequent occasion, Mr. Sargint captured several specimens, 

 which Dr. Kinahan afterwards saw. It was to be hoped Mr. Ussher 

 would follow up his investigations into the Lepidoptera, not merely of 

 Ardmore, but also of the lower valley of the Blackwater, where many 

 rare things might be expected to occur. 



Mr. Gilbert Sanders had met the insect in Devonshire. His first 

 acquaintance with it was in 1844, on the glacis of Plymouth citadel, and 

 had nearly eventuated in an introduction to a more unpleasant acquaint- 

 ance — viz., a bayonet; as having, in the ardour of his pursuit, scaled 

 the ditch, he was arrested by the sentry for trespassing on forbidden 

 ground. This spot is facing the Sound, and, of course, near the sea. 

 He had, however, also met the insect in immense numbers at a great 

 distance inland — at Plymvale, at the foot of Dartmoor mountain, on 

 aquatic plants which fringed the " aits" here. They were here in such 

 numbers that he was always sure of capturing them, and often saw a 

 hundred specimens in an hour's walk. The capture in Ireland is curious, 

 as occurring in a district in which the geological features resemble 

 those of the districts in which he had captured it in England. Perhaps 

 this arose from some peculiarity in the plants of the district. 



Me. William Andrews, Honorary Secretary, read a communication 

 from Lord Clermont — 



ON THE OCCURRENCE OF THE EARED GREBE. 



" It may be interesting to the Society to know that either a female 

 or young male of the eared grebe (Podiceps auritus) was shot on my 

 estate at Blackrock, Dundalk, on the coast, on the 13th last December 

 (1856) : according to Thompson and Yarrell, it is of rare occurrence in 

 any part of the British Isles. The bird is now in my possession." 



Mr. Andrews said this was an interesting addition to many impor- 

 tant and valuable communications of the kind already made by Lord 

 Clermont to the Society. Mr. Andrews had also heard of the capture of 

 the eared grebe, twelve months since, at Fethard, county of Wexford. 

 This last notice had not been, however, confirmed. 



