1901. Notes. 205 



Wood Sandpiper in Co. Dublin. 



On the 19th of August, whilst beating a small piece of marsh ground 

 near Sutton for Snipe, a bird rose uttering a peculiar note which I was 

 not familiar with. On shooting it I was much pleased to find it was a 

 Wood Sandpiper in immature plumage. This, I believe, is the first 

 occurrence of this rare Sandpiper in Co. Dublin, and the sixth occurrence 

 in Ireland — one having been obtained in Calary Bog, Co. Wicklow, 23rd 

 August, 1885, and two shot by Dr. Knox in same locality on the 3rd 

 August, 1896. 



W. J. WlI.UAMS. 

 Rathgar. 



Black-tailed Godwits in Co. Wexford. 



On the 6th of August inst, my friend, Mr. A. L,. Otway, shot on the 

 mud-flats of Wexford Harbour a Black-tarled Godvvit, which he kindly 

 sent to me. Its head and neck were reddish, its breast barred, and its 

 back mottled with black, in the plumage of summer. I have sent it to 

 Messrs. Williams and Son for the Museum of Science and Art, Dublin. 



On the 9th of August Mr. Otway shot another bird of the same species, 

 which he sent to the Museum direct. 



Both specimens were shot on the slob-lands near the mouth of Wexford 

 Harbour, and many others were observed. [ am informed by Mr. 

 Otway that on two occasions he saw flocks of twenty to thirty, but that 

 in the majority of instances there were single birds. The white at the 

 base of the tail and the white base of the secondaries, described by Mr. 

 Warren, as easily distinguishing the Black-tailed Godwit, were noticed 



After they were first seen these birds rapidly diminished, and by the 

 20th of August they had become very scarce. 



The early date at which the first was shot, its occurrence in summer 

 dress, and the observation of flocks which appeared to be of the same 

 species are facts of interest, especially in view of the late discussion in 

 the Irish Naturalist by Mr. Barrett-Hamilton and Mr. Warren. 



It is, however, to be observed that the flocks reported to the former, 

 were seen in winter, and were not fully identified as being of the same 

 species as the specimen he obtained. 



R. J. USSHISH. 



Cappagh, Co. Water ford. 



