The Birds of Rafhlin Island, Co. Antrim. 51 



Turdus iliacus, Iv. — Redwing. Frequent in winter. 

 Turdus pilaris, Iv. — Fiei.df'are. Not so common as last. 

 *Turdus merula, L. — Bi^ackbird. Common in the gardens aijd hedges, 



where it breeds. 

 Turdus torquatus, L. — Ring-ouzeIy- The only specimen ever seen was 



shot, i8th April, 1883, by one of the light-keepers (Migration Report 



for 1883). 

 *Saxicola cenanthe, Iv. — WheaT-ear. Very common during the summer , 



generally breeds in crevices of rocks and walls; earliest date of arrival, 



March 8th. I found it extremely abundant in June. 

 *Pratincola rubicola, Iv. — StonechaT. Frequently seen ; nests gener- 

 ally among the whins. 

 *Eritliacus rubecula, Iv. — Robin. Dr. Marshall states that the Robin is 



rare, while Mr. Gage characterises it as common in the gardens and 



low bushy places, where it breeds. In 1889 I observed several young 



Robins, but did not see a single adult during three days. 

 Sylvia cinerea, Bechst. — WhitethroaT. A regular summer visitant 



to the gardens, but the nest has not yet been found. I have no 



doubt it breeds. 

 Heg'ulus cristatus, Koch. — Goi<den-crested Wren. A constant 



spring visitor, being frequently taken at the lighthouse on migration ; 



it never remains on the island. 

 Phylloscopus rufus, Bechst. — Chiefchafe. An occasional visitor to 



the gardens. . One was taken on an apple tree in March, 1862. It 



has never been known to breed. 

 phylloscopus trochilus, L. — Wii,i,ow-\vren. Rarely seen ; one was 



caught alive near the lighthouse, and another found in Mr. Gage's 



garden in April, 1867. 

 Acroceplialus phragfmitis, Bechst. — SedGE-warbi.ER. This was the 



only bird I was able to add to Mr. Gage's list. I saw and heard the 



bird at Alley Ivough, 2nd June, 1889. In October, 1891, a second 



example was killed by a Kestrel, and brought to Miss Gage. 

 *Accentor modularis, Iv. — Hedge-sparrow. Common in the hedges 



and whins where it breeds. An albino young bird was once found 



beside the nest. 

 Farus major, Iv. — Great-Tit. An occasional visitor. One was taken 



in January, 1862, in Mr. Gage's garden, others have been seen at 



intervals. 

 Farus coeruleus, Iv. — Bi,uE-TiT. Occasionally seen; one was found 



dead in the garden in 1891. 

 *Troglod3rfces parvulus, Koch. — Wren. Very common and resident, 



generally builds in ivy. Often observed on migration. 

 Certhia familiaris, L. — Tree-creepeR. Once seen running along the 



garden wall, when it was shot. There are scarcely any trees on Rathlin. 

 ♦Motaciila lugubris, Temm. — Pied Wagtaii,. Common all the year, 



bleeds generally in holes in banks. 

 Motacilla melanope, Pallas. — Grey Wagtaii,. Uncommon ; one was 



caught alive in the summer of 1858, having flown into one of the 



rooms through an open window. I have reason to think they breed, 



as I found a pair at Alley Lough, in June 1889, whose movements were 



suspicious, but I failed to find the nest. 

 *Aiitlius pratensis, Iv. — Meadow-pipiT. Not uncommon; some nests 



with eggs have been found on some of the heath-covered hills, chiefly 



in the centre of the island. Several birds were found dead in the 



hard frost of January, 1867. 

 *Aiitlius obscurus, Latham.— Rock-pipiT. Common along the shore. 



Nests have been found in the heaps of dried seaweed stacked for 



making kelp. 

 *Muscicapa ^risola, L.— Spotted Fi^ycaTChER. Is usually seen in 



summer, but the nest was never found till June, 1890, when a pair 



had a nest in a rose-tree against the wall of a greenhouse. The hen 



was very fearless. 



