1 62 The Irish Naturalist. [July, 



distance from where I met the two birds in 1893. After look- 

 ing at it for some time with his glass, he went for his gun, but 

 in the meantime, a heavy rain squall coming on, drove it away 

 to shelter, and when he returned to the place, the bird had dis- 

 appeared. However, this season he was more fortunate, for 

 on two occasions he met the White Wagtail on the island, and 

 obtained three specimens out of each flock. He met the first 

 lot of five birds on the 30th of i^pril, feeding in a field lately 

 sown with oats, and his attention being attracted b}' their light 

 grey backs, and white cheeks, he brought his glass to bear on 

 them, observing them for a long time, as they (like the birds 

 previousl}^ seen) walked quietly about the field with none of 

 the restless habits so constantly shown by the common wag- 

 tails. He then got his gun and shot three fine birds, which he 

 kindly brought to show me. One, a perfect t3^pe of M. alba, 

 was too much injured by the shot for a specimen, but the other 

 two (equally fine birds) I sent to Mr. E- Williams of Dublin, 

 to be preserved. 



Again on the loth Ma}^, Mr. Kirkwood came across a small 

 flock of fifteen birds resting on the bare stony slope of a 

 small hill, near w^here he saw the wagtails last season, and on 

 looking at them with his glass, he observed that all were in 

 the light grey plumage of M. alba, but on approaching for a 

 closer view, they all rose from the hill, and pitched on the 

 shore amongst the rocks and stones. Just then a heav}^ shower 

 coming on, he said it was amusing to see them seeking for 

 shelter from the rain under the lee of the rocks ; sometimes, 

 two or three birds might be seen huddled together on the 

 sheltered side of rocks, or large stones, evincing a decided 

 aversion to the rain wetting their plumage. These birds ap- 

 peared to Mr. Kirkwood to be resting, and not inclined to feed. 

 Probably being tired out after struggling against the stiff gale 

 of N.N.W. wind that had been blowing for two or three da3's 

 past, and that when passing over Bartragh, they dropped down 

 to rest a little before continuing their flight across the sea to 

 Iceland, which was evidently their destination. 



Mr. Kirkwood obtained three birds out of this flock, and 

 more lovely specimens oiJlI. alba I never saw, the intense black 

 of the breast and head contrasting so strongly with the snow 

 white of the forehead and cheeks, the white extending down 



