190S. Notes, 139 



grounds of Annadale Hall, and it was only in recent years, since the 

 opening up of Annadale-avenue, that parties in the vicinity were 

 allowed to use it as a pathway to the Lagan. When the search was 

 made five >ears ago this lane was not examined, as the station was 

 supposed to be by a path in the fields below. That it remained so long 

 unnoticed in this Annadale station is not surprising, as the place was 

 not one where our local botanists were likely to intrude. Mr. Stewart 

 for example, tells me that he was never along the lane in question. 

 The plant is still plentiful on the Rath at Downpatrick. I saw it in 

 abundance there on the 23rd May. The first record from Downpatrick 

 was in 1744. 



W. J. C. TOMUNSON. 



Belfast. 



ZOOLOGY. 



Migrants at Rockabill. 



Rockabill Lighthouse sends three Sedge Warblers, three White- 

 throats, and one Wheatear (a fine old male), all killed striking May 26. 

 These species are rarely killed so late in the season at light stations 

 indeed, the Wheatear is altogether out of date), and their occurrence 

 on migration at this period would seem to indicate that the remarkable 

 spell of cold weather over Western Europe at the end of April arrested 

 the northward movement of many birds considerabh'. 



Richard M. Barringtox. 



Fassaroe, Bray. 



A Disaster on Migration. 



On the evening of Sunday, May 10, a remarkable incident occurred. 

 I was walking along a road with some friends, and on reaching a certain 

 avenue half of the party went in while the other half retraced their 

 steps along the same road. About forty yards from where we turned 

 back we found lying on its back in the middle of the road, quite warm 

 but quite dead, a Redwing. Not more than two minutes had elapsed 

 since we had passed that particular spot, and then the Redwing was not 

 there. A telephone wire crossed the road at this place, and it was 

 evident that the bird must have struck the wire in its rapid flight, and 

 been instantaneously killed, because the wire was still vibrating when 

 I looked up. The curious feature of the incident is that the Redwitig 

 was flying sufficiently low to strike a telephone wire, while the date is 

 reniarkabl) late, even for the North of Ireland. It may have been 

 injured in some way, and was making its wa}- north in easy stages. 



Robert Pattersox. 

 Glenbank, Holvwood, Co. Down. 



