192 2. Harrison. — TJw Bird Life of Dublin City. 39 



or \\'ind-hover, is less common, but may be seen in a few 

 places, such as the end of the North Wall, and that neigh- 

 bourhood. The Barn Owl quite regularly patrols the 

 streets at night. It is most often seen about Brunswick 

 Street and Stephen's Green, while for some years the tower 

 of St. Patrick's Cathedral was tenanted by one of these 

 weird birds. The Long-eared 0^^'l occurs on the canals 

 just outside the city area, and probably comes inside the 

 boundary at times. 



Many of the smaller passerine birds are to be found 

 along the Quays, particularly in winter when they obtain 

 a fairly good living from the scattered grain, etc., which 

 is plentiful enough. Among these are the ubiquitous 

 Sparrows, also Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Linnets, Yellow- 

 hammers, and Reed Buntings. Another of the Fringillidae 

 I have seen there is the Lesser Redpoll, though only on 

 one occasion. Pied Wagtails can be seen at most times 

 of the year, except summer ; and in autumn they roosf 

 in large numbers on the house-tops in some parts of the 

 city. The Grey \\^agtail is fairly common in winter, when 

 it may be found also along the rivers and canals. House 

 Martins used to nest in Ganly's, and though they do not 

 do so now, they still nest in the city area in parts of the 

 North Circular Road. On more than one occasion I have 

 observed a Missel Thrush singing on the roof of the chapel 

 on City Quay, opposite the Custom House. 



The waste land at Ringsend and the North Lotts both 

 contribute a goodly list, including the Meadow Pipit and 

 the Skylark. The Snow Bunting used to occur at the 

 Ringsend portion of the Pigeon-house wall ; whilst the 

 Corn Bunting is reported by Dr. C. W. Benson as having 

 been heard singing at the North Lotts, where also, according 

 to Watters, in his " Birds of Ireland," the Short -eared 

 Owl occurs in winter, as he also says it does along the 

 Pigeon-house wall. Rutty records the shooting of the 

 rare Avocet in the winter of 1767 at the North Lotts. 

 ^Ir. E. \Mlliams in the Irish Naturalist sa^^s he has seen 

 the Black Redstart in winter at the same place. 



The small pieces of strand at Ringsend which are 

 exposed at low tide attract several of the waders such as 



A 2 



