1 6 The Irish Nattoalisl. Jaiinai\ . 



earh' song of the W'hilethroat. I liavt only out iccord oi the 

 Whinchat {Pratincola rvbct)a, Linn.). A nest was fonnd b\- 

 ni>- friends, Mr. Saniuel Bryson and Mr. Thomas Gibson in 

 May, 1 891 (/. A'., vol. iii... page 185). The Stouechat {P. riibicola, 

 Linn.) is very common. I have seen this species frequenting 

 the shore during frost and seeking its food among the rejecta- 

 menta left h\ the tide. The Robin {Erithacits rubecula, Linn.) 

 calls for much observation. I only mention that I heard a 

 >'Oung bird in the nestling plumage singing in the late 

 summer. 



The QXAxilcXxTx^ {Phylloscopus rufus, Bech.) is the first warbler 

 to reach us. I once heard the note on 26th March, but the usual 

 date is ist to 4th April. The Willow-Wren {P. trochilus, Linn.) 

 follows a few days later. I invariably heard the first Chiffchaff 

 singing from the same high trees and the first notes of the 

 Willow-Wren were from the same sallows year after year. Does 

 not this point to the savic birds returning to the old haunts ? 

 The Wood- Wren {P. sibilatrix, Bech.) was found by Mr. Hart at 

 Carrablagh, and was observed by me at Derrj* last May. The 

 Whitethroat {Sylvia cincrca, Bech.) arrives about middle 

 of April. These three species are called W^hite Wrens in this 

 district. 



The Sedge-Warbler {Acrocephalus p/i?aqiuitis, Bech.) is com- 

 mon on the banks of the Inch stream. The Grasshopper- 

 Warbler {Loaisiella iicEvia. Boddaert) has occurred some five 

 miles from Inch and two miles from Derry. My friend, Mr. 

 Bryson, described a song which he heard near Inch which I 

 am confident was of this species. The Goldcrest {Regiilus 

 cristatus, Koch) and Hedge-Sparrow^ {Accentor Diodidaris^ Liun.) 

 are common. I have heard three Hedge-Sparrows singing 

 along a hedge not more than ten to fifteen yards apart and 

 seemingly answering one another. 



The Dipper (OV/r/?/:.? aqnaiicus, Becli.) frequents the stream 

 at Inch. It is called in some districts the Waterhen. I have 

 only heard the song in September. 



The Great Tit {Pariis major, Linn.), Coal-Tit {P. alcr, 

 Linn.), and Blue Tit {P. ccenilcus, Linu.) are all common. The 

 Long-tailed Tit {Acrednla caudata, Linn.) occurs in the woods, 

 and during autumn and winter ma}' be seen in flocks of eight 

 to ten. 1 have never seen a better example of protective colour- 



