October, 1898.] 229 



THE BIRDS OF DUBLIN BAY, 



BY CHARLES J. PATTEN, B.A., M.D., 

 Chief Demonstrator in Anatomy, Dublin Universit3% 



[Read before the Dublin Naturalists' Field Club, April T3th, 1897, and 

 Dublin University Biological Association, March 4th, 1897,] 



It is not likely that any one will dispute the statement that 

 a stitdy of the fauna or flora of a district is always of great 

 importance in the advancement of natural science in general, 

 and more especially field work ; not merely because a variety 

 and number of species obtainable in one locality can be com- 

 pared favourably or otherwise with that obtainable in some 

 other place, but from the fact that when a complete list of 

 birds, etc., is furnished and studied the further observ^ation of 

 n^rer species is facilitated — that is to say, when we have care- 

 fully investigated the contents of a certain district, then we 

 are eager to discover something fresh. 



Perhaps this may be quite reason enough for bringing for- 

 ward such a communication as the present, which at first 

 might seem to lack sufficient interest. How^ever, instead of 

 simply enitmerating the species which are found about Dublin 

 Bay, it has been the aim of the writer to introduce some 

 practical hints which may assist the observer and collector in 

 their studies on the swamp and sea-shore. For this end brief 

 descriptive notes have been appended. 



The greater number of birds frequenting Dublin Bay belong 

 to the large class of Grallatores or " waders," inhabiting or 

 visiting the extensive mud-slobs and sand-banks which con- 

 stitute the North Bull off Clontarf Still were we to omit the 

 web-footed and land birds frequenting these parts, our avi- 

 fauna would be far from complete. It therefore seems advisable 

 to draw up a complete and systematic list of every species of bird 

 which has frequented the bay, and at the same time to follow 

 the nomenclature of the 4th edition (by Newton and 

 Saunders) of Yarrell's British Birds. 



It would be impossible to compile a purely original fauna, 

 if we wish it to be complete. Already many ornithologists 

 have recorded from time to time the appearance of rare birds 



