Foot 



60 The Irish Naturalist. March, 



On 20th November, 1899, a fowler brought me a Grey 

 Phalarope. He shot it on the North Bull, Dollymount. It 

 was probably the same bird which I had observed the day 

 before. The specimen, a male bird, was in extremely poor 

 condition. It only weighed 7J drachms — less than an ounce. 

 The following were its measurements : — 



Length from tip of beak to tip of tail, . . 8£ inches. 



Expanse of wings, i6| »» 



Length of beak, \\ ,, 



Tibio-tarsus i\ ,, 



Tarso-metatarsus, 1 inch. 



r Hind toe (hallux), \ ,, 



Inner toe, f ,, 



Middle toe, \ ,, 



Outer toe § „ 



Sternum to cloaca, i\ inches. 



Mid-back to mid-breast, . . . . if ,, 

 Breadth of breast \ inch. 



The fat in the region of the breast was extremely scanty, 

 but the little that was present differed from the soft creamy 

 oleaginous fat of the typical L,imicol3e. In the Phalarope 

 the fat is of a firmer consistency (more like suet), dark yellow 

 in colour, and closely resembles the fatty tissue of sea-gulls. 



Migration. — The recent researches of Mr. Barrington 1 

 indicate that the Phalarope is an irregular visitant which, 

 since 1881 to 1897, has struck the lanterns of the Irish light- 

 ships or lighthouses on four occasions, viz. : — 

 1889. November 1. Slyne Head. 



1892. August 22. Arklow S. Lightship. 

 „ November 4. Rockabill Island. 



1893. October 17. Slyne Head. 



Of late years it occurred in the autumns of- 1886, 1889, 1891, 

 1892, 1893, and probably in 1896 and 1897, in addition to the 

 occurrence recorded by myself in 1899. An analysis of 

 fifteen occurrences made by Mr. Barrington during these years 

 shows that nine were in October, four in November, one in 

 August, and one in December. The bird has occurred more 

 often on the west coast than elsewhere in Ireland, and it is 

 noteworthy that of the four examples which actually struck 

 the lanterns, two were obtained from Slyne Head, a western 

 lighthouse. 



1 .< 



Migration of Birds" : Analysis of Reports, 1881-1897, p. 203, 1900. 



