104 ^'^'^ Irish Naturalist. October. 



the Dublin Coast in March, 1871, by Mr. H. Blake Knox, 

 in whose collection it is preserved. 



Another male, also preserved for Mr. H. Blake Knox, 

 was probably obtained on the coast of Antrim ; it was 

 picked out of a lot of birds packing for London, in March, 

 1871." 



I have been unable to trace the former of these speci- 

 mens, which Mr. Williams assures me he never saw^, but the 

 latter is now in the National Museum. The stand of this 

 specimen bears the following note in Blake Knox's writing : 

 " Ferruginous Duck. 449. Adult male, March, 1871. 

 Purchased and stuffed for me from a lot of wild fowl going 

 to London, in Belfast. See Zoologist." 



Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta Leach. 



1. Specimen mounted by Sheals. Male (?). Blake 

 Knox records this bird in the Zoologist, 1864 (p. 88go) : — 

 " During a stay in Belfast last September I purchased a 

 Spotted Crake, killed by a poor boy with a stone. Oct. 30th, 

 1863." This specimen is now in my collection. 



2. Another specimen, mounted by Sheals, is now in my 

 possession. Its stand bears the data, " May. Co. Dubhn." 



In the Zoologist, 1868 (p. 1458), Blake Knox records 

 having shot a Spotted Crake at Shanganagh, Co. Dublin, on 

 September 5th. I have not been able to trace this specimen. 



Dotterel. Eudromias morinellns Linnaeus. 



A skin now^ in my possession bears on the label, in 

 Blake Knox's writing, " Juv. ist. Winter. Co. Mavo. 9.2.89. 

 Put up by H. B. Knox." In the " Birds of Ireland " 

 Ussher refers to twelve records of the Dotterel in Ireland, 

 eleven of which relate to Ulster and Munster, the locality 

 of the twelfth being unknown. None of these occurred in 

 February. This is, therefore, probably the first authentic 

 occurrence of this bird in Connaught, and in Ireland during 

 February. 



Black Tern. Hydroclielidoii nigra Linnaeus. 



An immature specimen now in my possession had the 



