94 The Irish Naturalist. June, 



established haunt on the Boro — were first found in pos- 

 session on the 19th of April, but may have been actually 

 there for about a week before I saw them. The fact that 

 nine out of ten breeding resorts still remain vacant, shows 

 how very small a proportion of the species has been pre- 

 served to us by its partially migratory character. Either 

 the migrants are very few in comparison with the residents, 

 or else the severe winter told on a large proportion of 

 those that went away, as well as on those that staj^ed. 



That the latter explanation is, to some extent, the correct 

 one appears probable from the case of the last " partial 

 migrant " on my list, the Meadow Pipit or " Titlark/' ^ 



The Titlark is found in most years to strike the lanterns 

 of Irish light -Stat ions with considerable frequency during 

 the period from the loth of March to the loth of April ; 

 and within the same period flocks of this species are apt 

 to appear in our fields, their bright fresh plumage quickly 

 attracting notice. This year, instead of the usual influx 

 of showy and sociable-looking Titlarks, I saw on March 

 2ist and from that time onward to about the middle of 

 April a few solitary and dull-plumaged specimens, which, 

 from their poor plumage and listless manner, I could not 

 believe to be newly arrived spring migrants. More pro- 

 bably the}^ were birds that had struggled through the 

 winter in some part of our own island where conditions 

 were a few shades more tolerable than in the deep-snow 

 zone. At any rate, it was not until the fourth week of 

 April, when, with a high barometer, the real rush of 

 spring immigration set in, that I first saw what I 

 could confidently pronounce immigrant Meadow Pipits, 

 and even then their numbers, compared with those 

 generally observed, were very small. It was not until 

 April 27th (the date last year was March 5th) that I 

 heard the first Meadow Pipit's song. I have since heard 

 some seven or eight more. The poor derelict birds that 



^" Titlark " is the common name by which I hear this species generally 

 designated by field-workmen in this part of Co. Wexford. I am told 

 by Dr. Benson that in the north of Co. Dublin it is called by the curious 

 local name of " Swiney," of which I had never heard, nor can I suggest 

 any explanation. 



